Stealing Cinderella
by Abby J and Amber L
Summary: Family bonds are tested when Elizabeth goes ahead with her plans to marry Doug, despite Jed and Abbey's objections. Part 16 of the Snapshots of the Past series
1. Chapter 1

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters depicted in this story belong to NBC, WB, Aaron Sorkin, and John Wells. We're just borrowing them for some fun :)

Story summary: Family bonds are tested when Elizabeth goes ahead with her plans to marry Doug, despite Jed and Abbey's objections

Feedback is always appreciated!

Author's Note: Just a reminder that TWW has off-season presidential elections (Jed was elected in 1998), so this series will from now on as well. Thanks to all you readers out there for sticking with this series for so long!

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><p>Election Day 1986<p>

As she descended the stairs in slipper-clad feet, Abbey looked out the sidelight to see Jed standing on the deck. He gripped the railing, his shoulders heaved forward, and gazed out into the distance at the sun rising over the pasture. She knew he hadn't slept much. She felt him toss and turn for most of the night until he finally gave up. He rose from bed before 5 a.m. and crept down to the main floor. She wanted to run down after him, hold him in her arms, and whisper words of reassurance in his ear, just as she did two years earlier to help alleviate the stress that accompanied election day. But the election wasn't all he was concerned about this time and knowing that, Abbey hesitated before reaching for the knob.

The night Elizabeth announced her engagement was a turning point in the Bartlet house. It intensified the dynamic between the teenager and her parents. Jed had disengaged from the conversation. He'd thrown himself into the final days of his campaign, heading into work before the first glimpse of morning light and returning home only after dark, too exhausted to contemplate anything but sleep. Abbey worked her usual long shifts at the hospital and at night, she tried to hold it all together for her family's sake, but it wasn't easy. Liz wanted some support. She approached her mom in the kitchen late one evening, after Zoey and Ellie had gone to bed. She didn't ask for much; she just wanted suggestions on a wedding date. But Abbey couldn't help her. It was a mistake, she told Liz, and that ignited the mother-daughter confrontation that sent Liz out of the house. She ended up at her grandparents' home and that's where she had been ever since.

Abbey remembered the hurt expression on her daughter's face that night, and when James and Mary had called to tell her that she was with them, Abbey heard Liz crying in the background. Mary convinced her that a few days away from home would do Liz some good, and it would give her and Jed a chance to come to terms with the changes in their family once and for all. So, Abbey accepted it. She thanked her parents for looking after Liz and decided to wait for the smoke to clear.

But it hadn't.

Jed was still reeling from the news of the engagement and neither of them were any closer to accepting Doug. Liz had left a week ago exactly and no one knew what would happen when she finally came home.

The family had never felt more fractured.

* * *

><p>Elizabeth brushed her long thick hair and pinned the sides on top of her head with a sterling silver barrette her mother had once given her. Earrings tugged at her ears, a pair of small silver hoops that were a gift from her father last Christmas. She then slipped into an emerald green turtleneck dress and paired it with a wide black belt, a pair of black tights, and black leather boots. Satisfied with her appearance, she started to leave the room, but as she hit the doorway, she stopped. Something nagged at her. It was the ring, the one that sparkled in the glimmer of sunlight that peeked through the curtains. That ring was a symbol. To her, a symbol of Doug's love. But to her parents, it was a symbol of a union they couldn't accept. The last thing she wanted was to fuel the flames, so she twisted the band around her finger and for the first time since she told her family that Doug proposed, she slid it off, then laid it flat on the dresser.<p>

Now she was ready, she told herself as took a deep breath and made her way down the stairs of her grandparents' upscale home in Boston's Beacon Hill. She headed towards the kitchen to help with breakfast, but just steps from the entryway she overheard her grandfather. Predictably, he was reading his paper at the table.

"His numbers are down," he said to his wife.

"He's still in the lead."

"Yeah, but not by much."

"He'll be fine," Mary insisted. "He always is."

They were referring to her father's campaign of course. Jed's poll numbers had taken a hit and Liz shouldered most of the blame. She once felt anger at the press and the public for judging her, so much so that she convinced herself to dismiss their opinion and ignore what they had to say. But that rage was gone now, replaced by guilt for failing to be the perfect daughter they thought she was. To them, she was a representation of her father, a reflection of his ability to parent and instill in his children a sense of morality and responsibility. Little did they know that he had done that and done it well. Her upbringing wasn't to blame for the recent turmoil in her life; her actions were.

She stood still, reflecting on that until her grandmother called for her.

"Lizzie, come on down!"

"I'm here," she announced as she walked in. "Good morning."

"You look lovely."

James put his paper aside. "Where are you going?"

"She's going home to vote with her parents," Mary told him.

James's expression confused Liz. She assumed he'd be happy to hear that.

"You don't think it's a good idea?" she asked.

"I think it's a great idea, as long as Doug isn't going."

"James." Knowing how much heat Liz was taking from Jed and Abbey, it was important to Mary that she and James not pile on.

"Jed doesn't need to deal with that today is all I'm saying."

"Doug's not going, Grandpa," Liz interjected. "It's just me."

Mary approached her granddaughter.

"Sit down, sweetheart. Breakfast is almost ready."

"Thanks, but I'm not all that hungry," Liz replied uncomfortably. "I think I'm going to head over. You know how traffic can be during rush hour."

"Lizzie..." James stood and followed her to the foyer. "You don't have to take off because of me."

"I'm already on the outs with my parents. I don't want to get into it with you too."

"I don't want that either. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. It's just hard for me to bite my tongue when I feel like you haven't thought through some of the decisions you've been making lately."

"The decision to marry Doug isn't one I made on the spur of the moment."

"It seems to me it is. He popped the question and you said yes without even thinking about it."

"I had already thought about it long before he proposed. I dreamt of that moment, I fantasized about it. He surprised me with his proposal because of WHEN he did it, not because he did it. I don't know how to convince you of that." Her eyes shined under a layer of unshed tears.

"Sweetheart, don't cry." Mary handed her a tissue.

"I don't understand why no one believes me."

"It's not about believing you," James said, his tone more comforting this time.

"I feel like I have to break up with Doug to make everyone happy, but that's not what *I* want."

"I didn't ask you to break up with him."

"That's what you'd like though. Like my dad, you want me back in school and away from Doug."

"I won't deny that. But that's only because I want you to be content with your life, not just now, but always. My only concern is that you're trying to right a wrong."

"You mean the pregnancy."

"Yes," he admitted. "You want to make up for getting pregnant by getting married to avoid the stigma against unwed mothers."

"Why is that so wrong?"

"Because it's a horrible reason to get married! We're not like those families who run around frantically trying to marry off their pregnant daughters. No one here is going to judge you if you choose to pursue single motherhood. You wouldn't even have to do it by yourself. You'd have all the help, not to mention financial security, you'd ever need."

"I know and I appreciate it." Liz was grateful for that.

"But it's not enough? Why?"

"Because I'm in love. I'm not an immature fool with a schoolgirl crush, Grandpa. I've never felt about anyone the way I do about Doug. I'm really and truly in love. And I can't explain it. I can't tell you why my heart belongs to Doug. That's what everyone wants from me, but I can't and because I can't, no one understands."

"Okay fine, you love him. Why do you have to get married right now?"

"I WANT to get married now. I want us to start our life together. I want Doug to be by my side when I have our baby. I want us to be husband and wife before we bring a child into the world."

"You should have thought about that..."

"Before I slept with him, I know. I can't change what's already happened, no matter how much I wish I could. All I can do is look to the future...but the future I have mapped out in my head is a future no one approves of. No one gets it." She dabbed at her eyes with the tissue, her emotions getting to her again. "I've never felt so alone."

"Stop right there." Mary cupped her chin. "You're not alone. It might feel like the world is against you, but I'll never be."

"And neither will I and neither will your parents," James added. "We all just want what's best for you."

"I want what's best for me too, and I should get a say in what that is. My parents don't get that I'm not a kid anymore."

"Yes, they do."

"No, they don't. You have no idea what it's like talking to them these days."

"They're shell-shocked. They were just getting over the news of your pregnancy and then you hit them with this. They haven't had enough time to let it sink in. They haven't had time to deal with it."

"How much time do they need?"

"A lot more than you think." He grabbed her by the arms and pulled her into his embrace. "Give them a chance, Lizzie. They love you more than you know."

"I love them too, but at some point, they have to trust me to know what I'm doing." Liz broke the hug to look her grandfather in the eye. "I can't keep apologizing for who I love, to them or to you."

"I don't need you to apologize. I just need you to be sure."

"I am."

"Convince me."

"How?"

"By not rushing into this. Take some time..." Liz shook her head as if blocking out his words. "Have the baby, then decide..."

"I can't do this again," she snapped. "I'm sorry." She grabbed her long black leather coat. "I'm going to be late."

"Hey?" Mary stepped in between Liz and James to give her a hug. "Don't let this stuff get to you today."

"I'll try."

"Do more than try," she said with a loving smile as she pulled away. "We'll see you at the party tonight."

"I can't wait."

"Drive safe."

"I will. Bye."

James watched his granddaughter disappear behind the door before addressing his wife.

"You're not helping."

"She needs us," Mary insisted.

"I'm not saying we should abandon her, but blindly supporting her is only going to make a bad situation worse."

"You don't know that."

"She dropped out of college and as of now, she has no plans to go back. She's getting married and having a baby with no prospects for the future. And she's only 18."

"I was 18 when I married you."

"You weren't pregnant!" James barked. "She's making a mistake."

"Then it's her mistake to make! That is if it's a mistake at all."

"She quit school. How can that not be a mistake?"

"Hard as it may be to believe, some women are happier as a wife and mother. Not everyone has to go to college and graduate school and make a six-figure income to be satisfied."

As someone who took pride in devoting her life to her husband and children, Mary was annoyed that James, like Jed and Abbey, looked down on the possibility that Liz might want to do the same.

"Who said anything about a six-figure income? The subject is her education."

"Maybe college isn't for Liz. Have you thought about that?"

"She's academically gifted."

"It's not what she wants."

"It's what she wanted until she got pregnant. Her goal has always been to go to college and then law school."

"Pregnancy changes a woman."

"Was it the pregnancy or was it Doug? There's a reason Jed can't stand him."

"And that's Jed's reason, not yours. Neither you nor I know enough about Doug to come between them. So if you want to crush her hopes and dreams based on Jed's hunch, have at it, but don't expect me to play along. Lizzie needs at least one person in this family who is going to stand by her, no matter what she decides."

Mary stormed up the stairs then, angry at her husband and furious at what was happening to their family. Loyalties were being tested, relationships challenged. She'd been there in London when Elizabeth came into the world. She'd seen Jed and Abbey tremble with anxiety at taking care of their newborn baby girl. She'd witnessed the parent-child bonds that formed within the first few days of Lizzie's life, the bonds that had strengthened and grown for the past 18 years, the bonds that now seemed so fragile, they could break at any moment.

It was too much for her. Feeling physically ill, she climbed into bed and tried to fall back asleep.

* * *

><p>Jed never heard the front door open behind him, or Abbey's footsteps as she neared the railing. Instead, he listened to the sound of the American flag that was mounted off the deck snapping in the breeze. It was a warm breeze, he thought, too warm for election day. He wished there was more of a chill. He wished the skies were grayer, the trees more frosty, the land more frigid. He wished it would snow, and not just a few flakes here and there. A good New England blizzard, that's what he wanted. The wind howling, branches breaking, and everyone inside running around in slippers and PJs with steamy mugs of hot chocolate. This is what monopolized his mind that morning and that's exactly how he wanted it. Any lapse in these frivolous thoughts would have inevitably led him to reflect on and scrutinize the last 10 days, something he tried desperately to avoid.<p>

"Jed?" Abbey called softly.

No response.

It was like he was in a trance and the only thing that brought him out of it was when she strutted up beside him, too close to ignore.

"Hey," he said.

"I called your name."

"I didn't hear you."

"I know," she replied, her arm extended with a cup of coffee in his favorite Notre Dame mug.

"Thanks." He took a sip. "I don't think Easton's going to win the governor's race. His numbers are static."

"Are you disappointed?"

"I'm always disappointed when a Democrat loses."

"I meant..."

"Yeah, I know." Jed had been considering Easton's proposal about helping to implement the office of the lieutenant governor and then serve as New Hampshire's second-in-command, but he wasn't ready to admit to being disappointed that the election results would take the decision was out of his hands. "The girls still asleep?"

"Zoey's up and Ellie's starting to move around."

"Good."

"My mom called. Liz is on her way over."

"Liz? The same girl who hasn't even bothered to call us in the last week."

"We didn't call her either. We all needed some time to cool off."

"So why is she coming? For appearances?"

"Jed, don't be like that."

"She doesn't want to see us, Abbey."

"She never said that."

"She didn't have to."

"She's sick of the fighting. We all are."

"So then why is she coming? Did my office tell her that the press needs to see us all vote together? Because if they did..."

"Calm down, no one from your office contacted her. It was Liz's decision to come home. First of all, in case you've forgotten, her legal residence is still the farmhouse, so if she wants to vote today, she has to go to the same polling place we do. And second, she wants to be here. She wants to support you."

"How do you know? Did you talk to her?"

"I don't have to talk to her to know that. No matter what's happened, she still adores you."

"She's mad at me."

"You're not exactly thrilled with her either," Abbey reminded him.

"And you are?" Jed could see the feelings of disappointment written all over her face. "That's what I thought."

"We're both disappointed in her, and it's obvious that she's disappointed in us. We have to find a way to get past this."

"As long as Doug is in her life, I don't see how that's possible."

"It is. It has to be. She's going to go through with this. She's going to marry him and somehow, we need to accept that so we can be there for her."

"How does a father stand by silently and watch his child set herself up for failure?"

"The same way a mother does," she said without offering an answer. "As soon as I figure it out, I'll let you know."

He glanced over at her, then wrapped his arm around her waist, taking comfort in the gesture when Abbey rested her head on his shoulder. What would he do without her, he wondered. She was the only other person who knew exactly how it felt, the powerlessness that came from witnessing their daughter embark on an ill-fated marriage that would drown her potential.

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><p>"Why does the press care when he goes to the polls?" The worst part of election day for Ellie was the cameras that followed them when they went to vote.<p>

"It's just what they do." Abbey stacked a serving tray with cinnamon apple pancakes. "Ignore them. Pretend they're not there."

"That sounds easier than it is."

"You know the drill, Ellie. Stay close to me and your mom. If they so much as take a step toward you, you tell me and I'll put an end to it," Jed assured her, reaching up to fetch a can of New Hampshire maple syrup from the top cupboard.

"LIZZIE'S HOME!"

Everyone stopped then. They turned to see Zoey running into the kitchen, pulling her older sister by the hand.

"Lizzie! I didn't know you were coming!" Ellie ran to hug her.

"I couldn't miss election day." Liz looked up at her parents standing behind Ellie. There was so much she wanted to say to them, but when she opened her mouth to talk, all that came out was, "Hi."

"Hi," Abbey returned. "We're glad you're here."

Jed didn't have to say anything for Liz to know how much her presence meant to him. It was written in his eyes, those baby blues she had learned to read when she was very young. They were fixed on her now and instead of the harsh anger she feared she'd see, they were warm and inviting, though brimming with such concern that it nearly muted the fatherly love struggling to shine through. And there was hurt. Hurt for the widening gulf between them, for the words they'd exchanged and never forgotten, for the way she'd dismissed his advice and guidance when he disapproved of what she was doing. That's what she regretted the most. A lot had happened the past few months, but if there was one thing she wished she could take back, it was hurting her father.

Without being asked, She picked up a stack of plates left on the counter and began setting the table. "So, has anyone asked Dad why lawmakers designated the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November as election day?"

Abbey smiled at that.

Election day was treated like a holiday in this family and that meant that Jed had to share pearls of historic trivia. Liz had heard his stories so many times, she could recite them in her sleep, but it gave Jed pleasure to tell the tales every year. While she usually teased him about it and pretended not to care, this time, she chose to indulge him.

"Isn't every Tuesday after a Monday?" a confused Zoey asked.

"Zoey, you ask that every year!" Ellie chuckled.

"But I forget the answer!"

"It has to be the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November," Abbey told her. "If Tuesday is November 1st, it can't be election day because it was still October on Monday."

"Huh?" The six-year-old crinkled her eyes at the logic in that.

"It'll make sense when you hear the story." Ellie nudged Jed. "Dad?"

Jed gathered utensils as he explained, "Election day can't be on November 1st because November 1st is All Saints Day, Zo. So that means that if the first Tuesday of November is November 1st, then election day has to be a week later."

"What if Monday is November 1st?"

"Then election day can be Tuesday, November 2nd."

"Ohhh."

"See, it makes sense. The first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. And why does it have to be in November, you ask? Well, that's easy to explain too..."

Ellie grabbed a carton of orange juice from the fridge, Liz passed out glasses, and Abbey set the stack of pancakes and can of syrup in the middle of the table. They then pulled out their chairs and took their seats to start breakfast as a family.

"It used to be that states could set their own presidential election days within a 34-day period. But that all changed when Congress set one date for the whole nation in the 1800s and the date they settled on was November. Things were different back then. There were no cars so travel had to be convenient. The fall harvest had to be over, but the weather had to be mild enough that it wouldn't keep people from making the trip..."

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><p>Jed, Abbey, and all three of their daughters arrived at First Emmanuel Episcopal Church in one car later that morning. Voting together was a Bartlet tradition and because it was Liz's first general election, it was even more special today. A few months earlier, she had cast her very first ballot in the congressional primary, but the general was what it was all about. She couldn't wait to pull that lever and carve her mark on the New Hampshire electoral process.<p>

Jed scanned the perimeter as he pulled into the parking lot. Campaign workers lined the sidewalks, handing out pins and buttons, stickers and decals. And the cameras. They were everywhere. It was a presidential election year and that meant more press than usual. The networks weren't there to cover him, but he'd been around the media long enough to know that if they got a shot their affiliates could use when reporting local returns, they wouldn't shy away from it, especially if they happened to catch the slightest hint of Liz's baby bump that could lead the sensationalistic headlines of election analysis late into the night.

Jed wouldn't stand for it. Despite his judgment in allowing Liz to act as a surrogate for his campaign, he maintained his shield against the press. His daughter wasn't a prop to be used on the trail. It was the motivation to protect her that kept him on message and diverted public attention away from the pregnancy leak and he wasn't about to allow the mob of journalists to break through the barrier now. If they were going to gossip about her, they were going to have to do it without pictures.

He parked the car and hopped out to reach for the back door so he could usher Liz toward the church.

"They can't hurt me you know," she told him. "I don't care what they say anymore."

"I do."

It was ironic, Liz thought. She hated his hovering when she was growing up. Now that she was so vulnerable and exposed, she couldn't imagine what this chapter in her life would be like without him around to protect her. She glanced behind her to see her mother holding her sisters' hands as they all walked into the church and toward the line that spiraled down the hall.

In true Bartlet fashion, Jed grabbed a sample ballot to make productive use of their time by explaining the amendments and bond issues to Ellie and Zoey. Liz listened in until it was her turn in the voting booth. She then stepped in and pulled the curtain, then stared at the old lever machine, one of many that the city of Manchester had used since the 1970s. She unlocked the levers and bypassed the race for president and governor until the end so that she could get to the nominees for New Hampshire's First Congressional District.

'Josiah Edward Bartlet (D)'

She stared at it for a moment, then proudly turn the switch toward her father's name, casting her first general election vote.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Liz, who had run away to her grandparents' home in Boston after a fight with Abbey, returned on election day; James's attempt to talk Liz out of marrying Doug ended in an argument between him and Liz and him and Mary; Jed, Abbey, and all three of their daughters went to the polls together

Summary: While Jed strongly disapproves of Liz's engagement, Abbey feels conflicted

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><p>As Jed drove his family home from their polling station that morning, Abbey listened to the girls' chatter in the backseat. Elizabeth had stayed with her grandparents for the past week, so she and her sisters had a week's worth of gossip and stories to share. Ellie and Zoey spoke over each other, each desperate to steer the conversation toward their own interests. Abbey heard Liz laugh at their bickering, then mediate the discussion, and all she could think about was how grateful she was for that sacred bond between her daughters. It was like a sorority, the relaitonship between the sisters, a secret club whose members had one unique trait in common - they were the Bartlet girls, the only three people in the world who knew the privileges and the pitfalls of growing up with Jed and Abbey for parents.<p>

There were many privileges, but that day, it was the pitfalls that gnawed at Abbey. She kept thinking of Ellie's reaction to the press, the way she held her mother's hand and clinged to her, determined to escape the attention cast on Jed. Ellie hated making a scene, hated the media trailing behind them for footage of the whole family walking in to vote. Unlike Zoey who gleefully waved at the cameras, Ellie bowed her head the whole time, her long blond hair spilling like a waterfall of curls covering her face.

And then there was Elizabeth, who had to be rushed into the building by Jed to avoid the onslaught of pictures. Her pregnancy and love life had become public fodder all because her father happened to be a United States congressman. Politicians weren't treated like ordinary human beings by the press and neither were their children, especially when their blunders fed headline controversies surrounding topics like sex education. In an era where the new threat of AIDS thrived in a wave of fear and ignorance, and anyone who had the courage to speak out in favor of STD awareness swam against the current, Liz's situation was a convenient excuse to criticize Jed.

Abbey wondered what they'd say if they knew about the engagement and the rift it had caused in the family. Would they report on that, implying that Jed wasn't fit to hold office because of the private turmoil in his home? Would the press be bold enough to inject themselves into every aspect of a candidate's life as if it was their right? Of course they would, she thought. Fortunately, they'd never get the chance. It was election day and Liz had wisely chosen to take off her ring. All they had to do was make it through one more day. In 24 hours, the cameras would be gone, the pundits would wrap up the ballot box analysis, and life could get back to normal. At least, as normal as it could be with Liz pregnant and engaged.

"I'm going to drop you and the girls off," Jed said.

"You don't even get a break on election day?" Abbey asked him.

"Brooke's got a full itinerary for me. Why, did you have plans?"

"I was hoping we could spend some down-time together, all five of us."

"I can't stay either." Liz spoke up from the back seat.

"Where are you going?"

"I planned to grab some signs from Dad's office and help out with visibility."

"No, you're not." Jed glanced at her through the rearview mirror as he turned onto the street that led to the farm. "I don't want you anywhere near the campaign."

"Standing on the side of the road holding a sign is not a big deal."

"It is to me."

"The press isn't going to approach me, Dad."

"They don't have to approach you to get video of you."

"They already have video of me. And anyway, what difference does it make? The cat's out of the bag. They know I'm pregnant."

"That doesn't mean you have to flaunt it."

"That's what you think I'm doing?"

"By putting yourself right in front of the cameras? Yes, I think you're daring the press to go after you." He pulled up to the front of the house.

"Because I'm a spoiled drama queen craving attention?"

"That's not what I said."

Liz jumped out of the car, disappointment in her voice. "You didn't have to say it."

Jed stepped out of the driver's seat. "Elizabeth, for once in your life, do what I say without challenging me. I don't want you near the campaign. Can I be clearer about this?"

"Forgive me for wanting to help. Maybe it's best if I just go back to Boston."

"Don't throw that in our faces," Abbey replied as she climbed out of the passenger's side.

"What?"

"Boston. If you don't get your way, you're going to leave...again. We love you and we want you here, but we're not going to let you use that as leverage."

"That's not what I was trying to do." Liz was horrified that Abbey believed that.

"Really?" Jed interjected "You didn't run off to your grandparents', hoping that we'd agree to support your engagement to get you back home?"

"No! I went to Boston because Mom and I had a fight and it was clear that I was just making things worse by being here."

"I didn't want you to leave," Abbey told her.

"I know you'd never throw me out, but you needed a break and so did I."

"I didn't need a break from you."

"All I did was ask for your opinion about holiday weddings and you went off on me, Mom."

"Maybe I was harsh. I just wanted you to think about what you were doing."

"You were angry."

"Okay, fine, I was angry. Can you blame me? You blurted out news of your engagement at a family dinner like it was no big deal, despite our feelings about Doug. It was a slap in the face to me and your father."

"Did you think we'd be happy about it?" Jed piled on.

"I..."

"Don't answer that," he stopped her.

"Why?"

"Because it's rhetorical. You're a smart girl and you know better. You knew we wouldn't be happy. You were trying goad us."

"I wasn't!" Liz's stare moved from one parent to the other, neither willing to make eye contact. They didn't believe her and that hurt. "You guys think the worst of me, don't you?"

"No, we don't. We just think you're in over your head. You've convinced yourself of a fairytale ending for you and Doug and you're pissed at us for not jumping for joy."

"That's not why I announced the engagement."

"Then why?"

"I thought that if you knew he proposed, you'd stop hating him, that it would prove to you that he loves me."

"It's true," Ellie jumped in. She and Zoey had been standing on the porch, watching, ever since Jed pulled up to the front of the house and she was upset seeing Liz trying so desperately to defend herself.

"This has nothing to do with you, Ellie," Abbey said, her attention still on Liz.

"Yes, it does. I was in Lizzie's room that night after dinner. We heard..." Ellie stepped down, looking at Liz as if waiting for permission to tell them the rest of the story. "We heard you and Dad complaining about the engagement and saying what a terrible mistake Lizzie was making, that she was gonna ruin her life."

"We were venting," Abbey explained.

"Lizzie was so sad. She told me that Doug wanted to elope, but she said no. She wanted her family at her wedding. She wanted our support and she made her announcement at dinner because she thought you and Dad would stop worrying that Doug would hurt her if you knew he wanted to marry her. She wasn't trying to pick a fight."

Jed turned his gaze from Ellie to Liz. The pained expression on her face filled him with remorse. He wanted so badly to call a truce, to take her in his arms and give her his blessing. But to do that would be a charade. She was too young to get married and he was still convinced that a marriage to Doug would end in disaster. It was like a train wreck waiting to happen and as a father, it was his job to push his daughter out of the path. How could he swallow his instincts and support her when everything inside screamed for him to run the other way?

Abbey approached Liz gently and said, "We shouldn't have doubted your motives."

"It's okay," Liz replied after a beat.

"No, it's not." Abbey looked at Jed. "I told you this morning we have to find a way to deal with this and this is exactly the reason why." Her gaze went back to Liz. "We can't go on like this."

"I know, but it's like the only way to make you and Dad happy is to call off the engagement and throw Doug out of my life."

"We don't want you to throw him out of your life." He was the baby's father, after all. "We just think you're rushing into a wedding."

"But I'm not."

"What's wrong with a long engagement? You can get married after the baby's born. He or she can be part of the ceremony."

Liz shook her head. "I want to be married before she's born."

"No one's going to think less of you or this child if you wait," Abbey continued.

"I'll think less of me! I don't want to have her as a single mom. I don't want to introduce Doug to my doctors as 'the baby's father.' I want him to be my husband. I'm going to marry him anyway. What difference does it make if I do it now or a year from now?"

"It makes a difference."

"Not to me."

Several seconds of silence passed between them, each waiting for the other to break it. When no one did, a disappointed Jed gave up.

"Well, that's that then." His tone was sharp again. "We should have known."

Abbey addressed her husband. "It's election day. You have to get to work. We can talk about this later."

"What's there to talk about? She's not going to listen to us. In the end, she's going to do exactly what she wants, which is what she always does anyway."

"Tomorrow, we're going to sit down as a family and put everything on the table."

"It won't change a thing. Don't you get it, Abbey? She didn't come home for our advice. She came home for our blessing." Jed glanced at Liz for confirmation, which was what he got when she refused to look at him.

"It doesn't matter why she came home, Jed."

"Of course it matters!"

"I came home to vote, Dad!" Liz blurted out then. "For you! Yes, I want your blessing and I was hoping you'd give it to me, but I would have come home anyway because I wanted to vote!"

Jed opened his mouth in an attempt at a hasty reply, but he cut himself off when Abbey spun around to face him.

"STOP!" she pleaded with him. "Liz, go in the house." She waited a beat, but Liz didn't move. Abbey turned to face her. "Please."

"Fine."

Abbey watched as Ellie and Zoey followed their sister inside. She then turned to Jed again.

"Things were finally calm for a minute and you had to start again. Are you gunning for another round? In the driveway of all places?"

"I didn't choose the location of the fight."

"Why can't we talk about this rationally?"

"Because nothing she's done in the past few months has been rational."

"Maybe not, but snarking at her isn't going to help. You're supposed to win an election today and you're getting into a shouting match over the same damn thing you've been screaming at her about since she got pregnant. What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that keeping our daughter from making the biggest mistake of her life is more important than the election!"

"Liz is not getting married tonight. She'll still be engaged tomorrow. If you want to play the role of overprotective father, do it then."

"If I want to play the role...? Am I in this by myself now?" Abbey took a deep breath. "You support what she's doing?"

"No," she said unconvincingly.

"What's going on?"

"I don't want to lose her, Jed. The last time we argued, she left for a week."

"I thought you said you weren't going to let her use that against us."

"She's not using it against us. It's not a ploy. It's serious."

"For the sake of argument, say you're right. You're more worried about losing her than about her ruining her life?"

"She's going to do this whether we want her to or not. And call me crazy, but if she's going to ruin her life, I want to at least be there to pick up the pieces when she does." He turned from her, shaking his head in disbelief. "I don't want her to run away. When she left last week, she went to my parents'. This time, we might not be so lucky. She could run off with Doug and God only knows when we'd hear from her again."

"That won't happen," he said, turning toward her again.

"It might. I'm afraid she'll elope if we don't come to some sort of compromise."

"She won't. Trust me, Abbey. She'll say that to get you to agree to the wedding, but she won't do it."

"Didn't you hear Ellie? Doug wanted to elope from the start."

"And Liz said no."

"That's right. She said no - this time."

"So what, we just give in because Doug once mentioned the possibility of an elopement? And to be perfectly frank, we don't know if he did or not. Maybe Liz told Ellie that so that Ellie would tell us. She knew that you'd concede if you thought she was going to elope."

"Listen to yourself. No wonder Liz said we think the worst of her. You're accusing her of scheming and conspiring. That's not her, Jed. She's not like that."

"She spent weeks covering up her pregnancy with lies."

"Because she was scared to tell us, not because she was trying to manipulate us. I thought you forgave her for that."

"I did. I only brought it up because it's relevant. We can't take for granted that she's always being honest with us, that's all I'm saying."

"She is this time. I can tell."

"Fine. Give her what she wants then. Tell her she can have the wedding of her dreams, paid for by dear old Dad, so long as she allows us the privillege of being a part of her life. How about we promise her a week in Maui for the honeymoon?"

She glared at him, annoyed by his sarcasm. "I can't talk to you when you're like this."

"What about Ellie and Zoey? If they threaten to run away, are you going to give in to their demands too?"

"Don't be ridiculous."

"How is it ridiculous?"

"Lizzie's not a child! She can do what she wants, when she wants, and she doesn't need anyone's permission. She's not a little girl anymore."

"Yes, she is," he said in a calmer, sadder tone. "She's my little girl. I don't care how old she is, she's still my little girl."

His voice broke when he said it and once again, he turned away from her.

"Jed." Abbey put a hand on his shoulder.

"I rocked her to sleep in my arms every night, I read her bedtime stories, I dried her tears when she fell off her bike. And now, because she's an adult, if I dare to be concerned about her, if I dare to want to protect her, I'm an ogre."

"No, you're not."

"What she's doing...these impulsive decisions she's making...she's destroying her future. It's breaking my heart, Abbey."

"I know."

"I can't give her my blessing."

It tore Jed apart that he couldn't be happy for his daughter. He'd thought about her wedding day so many times before, usually with the natural fatherly angst that every dad felt at the prospect of his little girl growing up and getting married. But deep down, Jed dreamed of the day Prince Charming would waltz into the picture and sweep his little Cinderella off her feet. He pictured himself, proud and confident, his arm looped through hers as he walked her down the aisle toward her groom, imagined giving her away and then joining Abbey, both emotional and teary-eyed while witnessing the union of their eldest child and the man she loved.

And the reception. Jed still remembered all the times he twirled Lizzie around the living room in her frilly white dresses, thinking that someday, she'd be too old to want to dance with him, that her friends would eventually become more important, boyfriends would be waiting in the wings, and he would have to settle for knowing that there would be one more dance in their future - the father-daughter dance at her wedding reception. He'd make sure it was perfect, he'd promised himself all those years ago. But it was a sure bet that any reception Liz had now would be one that he wouldn't be invited to attend.

His life would be so much easier if he could accept this engagement, he thought for one fleeting moment, but like a black cloud casting its shadow, an image of Doug popped into his head and he realized that he couldn't just placate Liz. All that would do is give her a smooth path toward the alter. If he resisted, maybe she'd at least think about it. Maybe she'd hesitate. Maybe she'd consider his point of view and eventually, re-evaluate her plans. As long as there was a chance of Liz changing her mind, Jed couldn't give up. She might hate him for the rest of her life, but if he had any influence over her, he was bound and determined to use it.

* * *

><p>Back in Boston, James Barrington was at a loss. All he had wanted to do was get through to his headstrong granddaughter, to drill in her head the things that her parents couldn't, to make her face the reality of the situation she was creating, the life she was building for herself that contradicted all the dreams she once had. But the conversation had veered in a different direction and before he knew it, there was an argument. A tearful Elizabeth had stormed off and Mary had blamed him.<p>

He sat in the kitchen now, contemplating the breakfast that had been sitting out for 45 minutes. He poked his fork at the cold stack of waffles on the serving dish before he decided he couldn't eat with his wife so upset. He pushed his plate aside, got up, and headed upstairs.

He peeked into the master bedroom to see Mary on the bed, her back to him. Assuming she was asleep, he backed away.

"I'm up," she told him as she rolled over.

"Are you feeling all right?"

"Just a headache."

"You want your pills?"

"No, I'm fine."

He climbed into bed beside her. "I came up here to apologize, but to be honest, I don't know what I did to make you so mad. I've been replaying the whole thing in my head and the only thing I can come up with is what I said about Liz going to college and establishing a career. Was that it? Because if it was, I didn't mean to imply there's anything wrong with being a stay-at-home mom."

"I know." Mary nodded as if confirming that she believed him. After 43 years of marriage, she knew her husband well enough to know that he'd never intentionally disparage a woman's choice to be a wife and mother. "The whole thing just got to me and I reacted poorly to that statement. I'm sorry."

"So am I."

"James?" He looked at her. "You can't badger Lizzie like that."

"I wasn't badgering her. I was trying to get through to her."

"But you weren't listening to her."

"Just because I disagreed doesn't mean I wasn't listening."

"You're not giving her a chance to prove herself. A year ago, you couldn't stop raving about how bright she was. 'Someday, she'll be one of the greatest legal minds this country has ever known,' that's what you said."

"I remember."

"Then don't you think she's smart enough to make her own decisions?"

"No one makes good decisions when they're blinded by love."

"They're still HER decisions. She doesn't forfeit her right to make them just because people don't agree." They lost eye contact then and James looked straight ahead. Mary took his hand to get his attention. "Did I ever tell you that my father didn't want me to marry you?"

"He didn't?" He faced her, shocked.

"He liked you, but he thought I was doing it because it was the norm back then to go from your father's home to your husband's home. He thought I was being pressured."

"By me?"

"By everyone - you, my friends, even my mother. It was no secret that my mother wanted me to get married," Mary recalled.

Her hometown was an upscale New England village where every year, a new group of teenaged debutantes graced the pages of the local paper as they prepared for the annual Boston Cotillion. Mary's mom took pride in the tradition, so one year, Mary was one of those debs. She debuted in a beautiful white ballgown that had been designed and custom made for her. She smiled and curtsied, she posed for photos, she shook hands in the receiving line, and all night long, she floated through the room with a glow that captured everyone's attention. But that glow had nothing to do with the ball itself. It was the handsome young man who served as her official escort that evening, the one who waltzed across the ballroom with her. His name was James Barrington and Mary was instantly smitten.

"What if I had listened to my father and broken our engagement until I was older?"

"I would have waited for you," James told her. "We would have ended up together eventually."

"Maybe. But those years would have been a waste because I knew all along that you were the one. That's how sure I was about you. How can I now look at Lizzie and question her when she says that she's that sure about Doug?"

"Just because you were sure about me doesn't mean that Lizzie might not be wrong about Doug."

"None of us know what's in her heart is my point. We have no right to presume we do."

James never disagreed with Mary when she made sense and at that moment, as much as it pained him to admit it, her argument made sense. Liz was a grown woman and it wasn't his place to discount her feelings. He thought back to what she said before she left their house that morning - 'I've never felt so alone.' The words stung even hours later as he realized his disapproval had genuinely hurt her. Her parents were looking out for her; what she needed from him was an ally, someone to support her and love her, not pose as another obstacle in her path. He acknowledged that. But acknowledging his boundaries as a grandfather didn't make it any easier to accept them.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Abbey tapped on the door to the bedroom in the Bartlet suite at the Marriott. "Jed?"<p>

"Come in, Abbey."

She found him standing at the wall mirror, looping a new tie around his neck in preparation for his victory party. "Why did you change your tie?"

"Brooke said the other one bleeds on camera. It's too red."

"Is there such a thing?"

"Apparently." He stopped fussing with the tie as she took over. "Still mad at me?"

"I never was. Besides, I didn't come up here to talk about this morning. I came to tell you that you're winning."

"I am?"

"You can't be too surprised. I told you you would days ago."

"And you're not the least bit biased or anything," he smiled.

"I also thought you'd like hearing that you were right."

"I always like hearing that. What was right about this time?"

"Continuing your campaign after the Liz's pregnancy broke. It was the right thing to do." Jed gave her a hesitant nod. "What?"

"She wanted me to continue. I was reluctant at first, but she's the one who talked me into it."

"I know, and I'm glad you did."

"I just keep wondering what it proved."

"What it proved is that we raised a brave and strong daughter who isn't afraid to stand up for herself, and that you don't shy away from a fight. It also proved that despite how the press wants to paint it, candidates are human beings who experience all of life's ups and downs just like everyone else, and that the general public isn't narrow-minded enough to hold it against them."

"I think you're over-estimating the electorate there. I lost a lot of votes. If it wasn't for Randall's unpopular position on Seabrook, he'd be winning now, not me. It's fear that made people support me."

"That's not true."

"I've seen the polls, Abbey. The most important issue to most of them is Seabrook."

"I'm not disputing that. I'm telling you fear isn't the reason they support you. You stood up for them, Jed, and you didn't do it to win an election. You studied the situation, you spoke to advisors here and in Washington, you took a tour of Seabrook, you talked to the people on the coast, the ones who would be personally affected by an accident. You took your time, despite a death threat, and you made your decision when YOU were ready. And the decision you made wasn't to appease them or to win a popularity contest. You did it because you felt it was right. You think people don't respect you for that?"

"Some of them do, but any respect I got for Seabrook went out the window with a lot of others. The supporters I lost, it's because they think I'm a bad father."

"We know better. Anyone who's ever seen you interact with the kids knows better. You're a good father, Jed, a good husband, a good man. That's what makes you a fantastic public servant." She leaned in to give him a kiss. "I love you."

He stared at her adoringly for several seconds, then raised a brow and said, "I replaced your tire in the pouring rain last week."

"What?" Abbey asked, confused.

"When you got that flat, I canceled an appearance to drive out there in a thunderstorm and replace your tire. Remember? I was soaking wet, the rain pelted me like a firestorm of bullets..."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

Jed shrugged. "I'm just saying, maybe I deserve a slightly higher rating than 'good' in the husband category."

Abbey smacked his arm and chuckled, then laced her fingers through his as they left the room hand-in-hand to begin a night that would end with John Randall's concession and Jed delivering a victory speech to a crowd of supporters buzzing around the ballroom downstairs. Tomorrow, the campaign would be over. Staffers and interns would clear out Bartlet for Congress headquarters on Elm Street, volunteers would pick up yard signs and distribute the last of the pins, decals, and bumper stickers, and the media would take a break from political coverage, leaving the Bartlets free to return to their lives and try to overcome the drama of the last few months in private.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: While Abbey realized she couldn't stop Liz from marrying Doug, Jed refused to hide his disapproval

Summary: Concerned for Liz, Doug asks for Jed's blessing; Liz gets some unexpected news at her doctor's appointment; Abbey has a plan

* * *

><p>For the first time in months, Jed Bartlet's morning began at his district office instead of campaign headquarters. He looked forward to spending the day tackling local issues for his constituents, but what he found when he stepped into the lobby was that there was still a personal issue he couldn't escape. Mrs. Landingham, who had been hired to run his district office now that the election was over, gestured with her eyes and Jed followed her gaze across the room to Doug, sitting on a wingback guest chair, waiting for him.<p>

Doug stood when Jed looked at him. Visibly nervous, he approached until Jed held up a hand. The two men stared at one another and in those few minutes of dead silence that passed, a calm came over Jed. He couldn't stand the sight of Doug just a few days earlier, but now, Doug looked so harmless, so desperate. Jed motioned toward his office, allowing the younger man to lead the way.

He closed the door after they walked in. "What are you doing here?"

"Before you write me off, hear me out," Doug began. "I know you don't like me and fine, you don't have to. But I love your daughter."

"You proved your love by walking out on her."

"She broke up with me."

"Why, Doug? Tell me why," he said, feigning ignorance. "Could it be because you tried to pressure her into having an abortion she didn't want?"

"I didn't pressure her. I suggested it because SHE said she didn't want to have the baby! When she backed out, I brought her home, I promised her I'd stand by her, whatever she decided. I tried to be there for her, but she needed time to get her head together."

Jed crossed the room toward the chair behind his desk.

"I never stopped loving her," Doug continued. "I never will."

"I'm not giving you my blessing, so what do you want from me?"

"I don't care about your blessing, but Liz does. It's killing her that you don't support us." It bothered Jed to hear that. His features drawn, he stared down at the papers on his desk. "Don't you care how upset she is?"

He snapped his head.

"Don't ever question my feelings," he said. "You're not a father yet. You have no idea what it's like to raise a child, to love her, to want the best for her, and to have to stand back helplessly while she commits her life to someone who's made her so miserable. Every fight you two had, every time you made her cry...I'd have to be crazy to want a lifetime of that for her."

"Couples fight. You and Mrs. Bartlet fight."

"And when we do, we work things out like adults."

"So that's your beef? That we're young and immature?"

"Liz is only 18. She's barely dated. She has no idea how much life she has yet to live. It's not *just* you, Doug. I wouldn't want her marrying anyone right now. And I especially wouldn't want her to feel that she has to because she's pregnant."

"She wants this. I'm not forcing her."

"It's a mistake. She'll realize it someday."

"You're just so sure of that, aren't you?"

"I know my daughter."

"You can't stop her from doing this."

From anyone else, that may not have sounded like a challenge, but coming from Doug, it rubbed Jed the wrong way. "Never underestimate me."

"What are you going to do, sabotage the ceremony? Stand up when the priest says speak now or forever hold your peace?" Doug was only half-kidding, but Jed tightened his glare.

"I think you should go."

"Liz will never forgive you. You have no idea..."

Jed cut him off.

"I have nothing else to say to you," he said, his voice louder than it had been seconds earlier.

Seething, Doug turned on his heels and stormed out, leaving Jed to collapse into his chair, angrily rubbing his fist with his hand. He wasn't planning to interrupt the wedding. He was still clinging to the hope that there wouldn't be a wedding to interrupt, and if there was, if Liz foolishly went ahead with it, he prayed that God would give him the strength to stand there and support her for fear that he'd destroy his relationship with her if he didn't.

That was seeming like a very real possibility now. The trouble between him and Liz started with the hope of protecting her from making a mistake, but the wider the distance grew, the more Abbey's warning haunted him. This was foreign territory to Jed. He and Liz had always been so close that he'd never even entertained the thought of losing her - not until Doug entered the picture anyway. He now wondered just how much longer he could pressure her before their damaged relationship weakened beyond repair.

* * *

><p>The first time Elizabeth heard her baby's heartbeat, everything changed. It was then that she finally found the courage to voice what she'd been thinking about for days - that she couldn't go through with adoption, that she wanted to raise her child, even if she had to do it as a single mother. The few weeks that passed since that day only strengthened her resolve, and after Doug vowed to stand by her, she convinced herself she'd made the right choice.<p>

That November morning, Doug roamed the doctor's office, studying the pelvic anatomy charts and photos of on the walls. His eyes rested on one in particular. It was a pictorial description of the baby's descent through the birth canal. He couldn't help imagining that moment. He wondered how it would feel, how much pain Liz would be in, whether or not she'd scream or cry, whether he'd be nervous or scared. His mind raced with the possibilities until she snapped him out of it.

"Doug?" she called from the examination table.

"Hm? Sorry, what?"

"Come here. You can see the baby."

They both looked up at the image on the monitor. Liz couldn't stop smiling. A calm rushed over her, interrupted by a tingle of anticipation moments later when she looked at the doctor expectantly.

"Everything looks good," Dr. Box told her.

"When can you tell us the sex?"

"You don't want to be surprised?" Doug asked her.

"I hate surprises."

"The ultrasound will be more accurate in a few weeks."

"But can you tell now?"

"The external genitalia, what we'd need to see, is still developing. At your next visit, if the baby's cooperative, we'll see if we can get a look."

"Next month then?"

"Actually," the doctor began as she washed her hands. "I'd like you to come back in two weeks, maybe sooner."

"Why?"

"I'd like to run some tests and, depending on the results, we may need you to come in before then."

"What's going on?" Doug asked, alarmed. He helped Liz sit up.

"Don't panic. It's nothing to worry about right now."

"Okay, but why the tests?"

"Liz, your blood pressure is high. It was high last time too. You don't have a history of high blood pressure, so I need to figure out what's causing it now. It could be a symptom of a medical condition you don't even know about."

"Like what?"

"Well, it could be anything. I just need to rule things out and I think I'll be able to do that. Most likely, it's the pregnancy that's causing the spike in blood pressure."

Liz didn't know if she should be relieved or even more concerned. "If it is the pregnancy, what do we do about it?"

"We monitor you and the baby closely and carefully and hope that it doesn't continue."

"If it does?"

"If it does, we'll have to treat it the best we can." Dr. Box knew her words sounded ominous, so she went on, hoping to alleviate the fears of her nervous patient. "It's too soon to worry about all this. Let's wait until the test results come back and then we'll talk about where to go from there. In the meantime, I'm going to get you a brochure on hypertension in pregnancy. I want you to read about it and call me if you have any questions."

"Where do I go for the tests?"

"I'll write you a script for the lab downstairs. I'll also need a 24-hour urine sample."

"Is that part of this?"

"We use it for a baseline to monitor your kidneys."

"My kidneys? There could be something wrong with my kidneys?"

"No, not right now. I don't mean to scare you, Liz."

"It's okay, just tell me."

"If the hypertension continues, we'll measure the protein in your urine. It'll give us a good indication as to how serious it is. But in order to get the most accurate results possible, I need a baseline now."

"So a 24-hour urine sample?"

"That's right. The lab will explain to you how to do it. I'll go get those brochures."

As the doctor excused herself, Doug and Liz exchanged a worried glance at each other.

"It's okay," he said in an effort to reassure her.

"I forgot to ask how it'll affect the baby." She sat at the edge of the table and Doug stood before her, taking her in his arms.

"It won't. We're going to take care of this. We'll do whatever the doctor says."

"Why didn't I ask how it'll affect the baby?"

"Liz, stop it." He dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "I think you should move in with me."

Liz pulled away. "We already talked about that."

"Your house is too stressful. Your dad..."

"Don't bash my dad."

"He's stressing you out too much."

"He's starting to come around," she said unconvincingly.

"No, he's not. I went to see him today."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it didn't go so well. I wanted to get his blessing and he made it clear, he's never going to give it to us. He's going to do everything he can to stop the wedding. I wouldn't be surprised if he interrupts the ceremony."

"He won't."

"I asked him if he would and he didn't answer. I'm telling you, he's dead-set on not letting you marry me. You can't deal with all that drama right now. It's not good for you or the baby."

Liz tried to soak it all in, but what Doug was telling her was too much to handle. She hated being caught in the middle of this battle between Doug and Jed, her loyalties split as they forced her to choose sides time and time again. They couldn't on like this, she agreed. And with that, she hopped off the exam table and grabbed her clothes from the chair.

* * *

><p>Robert Nolan was finishing up a discharge order at the nurses' station when he looked up to see Liz standing just a few feet away. It had been a while since he'd last seen her - the night of her high school graduation party, he recalled. Like any other graduate, she beamed with a sense of accomplishment that night. She had the world at her feet and, given her track record, he didn't have a sliver of doubt that she'd make the most of her opportunities. But the girl he saw now was nothing like the girl he remembered. The spark was gone. She wore a jacket that she kept wrapped around her waist with her arms and she looked terribly sad. Uncharacteristically sad. He had to call her name to assure himself this was the same girl he'd known since she was in grade school.<p>

"Lizzie?"

Liz glanced over at him. "Hi Dr. Nolan."

"Are you okay?"

She shook her head. "Is my mom around?"

"She just got out of surgery. Can I get you anything?"

"No, thanks. I just need to talk to her."

He saw the ring on her finger. "Is that..." He smiled. "Do you have some news to share?"

Liz looked down and realized he'd noticed her engagement ring. "Oh, I'm engaged."

"Congratulations!" he said with a fatherly hug. "Who's the lucky guy?"

"Doug Westin. You met him at my graduation party."

"Yes, I remember. You two made a nice couple."

"Thanks."

It confused Liz that Abbey hadn't shared the news with him. Her mother had known Robert Nolan since residency and over the years, he'd learned a lot about the whole family. Abbey always told him stories about Liz and her sisters, invited him to birthday parties, bribed him into buying Girl Scout cookies. Liz naturally assumed that her engagement would be something she'd want him to know. But then it occurred to her that if he didn't know who she was marrying, he probably didn't know about the pregnancy. It all made sense to her then. Abbey was too uncomfortable with it to broadcast it to her colleagues, even one she knew and trusted the way she did Dr. Nolan. Liz felt a flash of shame at that realization and her smile faded.

Noticing the sudden change, Robert excused himself. "Well, I'll let your mom know you're looking for her."

Liz nodded as he walked away, then paced the floor until she heard Abbey rush toward her.

"Liz? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she lied.

"What's going on?"

"You know what, it's not important."

"It was important enough for you to come down here. What happened?"

"Nothing, it's stupid. I just got worried and..."

"Worried about what?"

"I had a doctor's appointment today. She said I have high blood pressure."

"How high?"

"140 over 90."

"It was high last time too," Abbey remembered.

"She wants to get a urine sample - a 24-hour one. I don't know what that means."

Abbey wrapped an arm around her daughter to guide her toward the chairs against the wall, where they could have more privacy. "It means she wants a baseline. It's just precautionary."

"That's what she said. It's to measure proteins or something. But why?"

"High blood pressure in pregnancy can be dangerous and one of the ways we determine how severe it is is through protein excretion. Did she say she wants to start you on any medications? An anti-hypertensive drug maybe?"

"No, but she wants to see me again in two weeks or sooner if the test results aren't good. What do I do?"

"You wait. And you keep your appointment, ALL of your appointments. Listen to me, Liz, you need to do exactly what she says, no matter what, okay?"

"The baby..."

"The baby is fine. Hypertension this early is something you can control. It's once you reach 20 weeks that we start to worry."

"That's what I read." Liz pulled the brochure out of her purse. "Something called preeclampsia. It sounds serious."

"It can be, but you're jumping the gun. You don't have it and now that you've gotten this wake-up call, there's a lot you can do to prevent it, like controlling your stress level."

"I'm trying."

"Really?" Abbey gave her that skeptical motherly glare.

"It's impossible to be totally stress-free with what's going on with Dad."

"Your dad's been perfectly calm since election day. You two haven't had a single argument, have you?"

"No, but something's always there, hanging over us. Even when he doesn't say it, I know he's thinking it."

"Thinking what?"

"That I'm making a big mistake. He's having trouble dealing with it."

"Yes, he is. That's something he's trying to work through."

"Doug thinks he's going to interrupt the wedding."

"He won't."

"How do you know?"

"Elizabeth, I've been married to the man for nearly 20 years. Trust me when I tell you, he won't."

"Then he just won't come. He'll skip the whole thing. And what am I supposed to do, ask Uncle Jack to give me away?"

"Whoa, you just jumped ahead five steps. We're not there yet. Relax."

"I'm thinking worst-case scenario."

"He's not going to miss your wedding."

"You sound so sure."

"I am sure." Abbey looked her in the eye. "Look, you can't get yourself all worked up about this. You two have to clear the air once and for all. You have to make peace with him."

"He's not interested in making peace."

"You don't really believe that. He's been miserable since all this started."

"I have too, but I don't know what to do about it. How am I supposed to make up with him when he hates Doug so much? He's hated him from the beginning."

"To be fair, Doug doesn't give off a good first impression, or a second for that matter."

"I know, but there's so much more to him than what you guys have seen. I wish I could erase that first dinner and have Dad get to know him all over again. He's changed a lot since the pregnancy."

"If that's true, I'm sure he'll get to see the new Doug over time."

"But what do we do now?"

Abbey wasn't a fan of Doug's either, but sensing that her strong-willed daughter wasn't going to be talked out of the wedding, she had already decided to concede that battle before she alienated her. She hoped that in the end, if her romance with Doug went up in flames, as Jed predicted that it would, Liz would at least have someone to turn to, a shoulder to cry on without fear of rejection or 'I told you so's.'

It wasn't quite as easy for Jed. He had been making slow strides toward the same conclusion Abbey had reached, but his progress had stalled and with Liz so distraught over the possibility of his absence at her wedding, it became clear to Abbey that perhaps it was time she gave him a gentle shove. An idea rumbling through her head, she walked Liz toward the elevator, said goodbye, then returned to her office to make a call.

She picked up the phone and dialed her father. "Hi Dad...I need a favor. Remember how you took Jed on a hike through the woods after he proposed?"

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 4

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Doug asked Jed for his blessing; Liz's doctor informed her that if she didn't control her blood pressure, she could have complications with her pregnancy; in an effort to mend the relationship between Jed and Liz, Abbey called on her father for help

Summary: Concerned about his daughter and afraid things have gone too far, Jed initiates a truce with Liz; Zoey is ashamed to admit she's having trouble with math

Rated R for sexual language (Jed and Abbey)

Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long!

* * *

><p>Jed crested the hill on Pruder Street and began down the road that led to the Bartlet farm. It was a chilly autumn day, the sun barely peaking through the rolling clouds, but that didn't stop him from driving with his windows down, basking in the feel of the cool, howling wind as it swept up his arm. He released his foot from the gas pedal when he neared the house and, to his surprise, saw Elizabeth dribbling her basketball across the pavement. He slowed the car and watched, reminded of her athletic talents. She was so good at basketball, a star player on her junior high team and the only member of the family who could beat him without breaking a sweat. She never hesitated to take him on, both on and off the court.<p>

Jed loved that spunk. It was how he raised his girls, after all. Walking around on eggshells growing up, he was determined to insure that his children would never have to hide who they were for fear of their father's insecurities. They had his blessing to challenge him, at sporting games or anything else. The message obviously got through, because he managed to raise his eldest daughter with a personality as strong as his and a willingness to speak her mind no matter what. But unlike his own father, her tenacity and stubborn spirit didn't enrage Jed - at least not usually.

He parked and stepped out of the car just a few feet behind where she sunk a basket.

"You're not wearing a jacket," he called out to her.

Liz turned around and spotted him in the sun's faint glare. "Neither are you." She glanced at her watch. "It's only three o'clock."

"I finished work early."

"You never finish early."

"I did today."

"Why? Did something happen?"

"You tell me."

"Tell you what?"

When she turned from him to continue dribbling her ball, he grabbed it from her to get her attention. "Didn't you have a doctor's appointment today?"

"Yeah. It was no big deal."

"Really? Because Mom said you were pretty upset about it."

"You came all the way home just to check on me?"

"I came home to see if you wanted to talk."

"I don't." She held out her arms for the ball.

"Liz."

"I'm fine, Dad. Don't you believe me?"

"No."

"It's the truth. I just want to play basketball."

"Suit yourself," he said, throwing the ball to her, then taking a seat on the steps at the bottom of the porch.

Liz waited to hear the front door and when she didn't, she turned to find him sitting there, watching her. "What are you doing?"

"Enjoying the fresh air. It's a beautiful day."

"No, it's not. It's cloudy and it's supposed to snow."

"I like snow. You used to like it too."

"I still do."

"It's been a while since we've had a snowball fight. What do you say?"

"A snowball fight?" That was random, she thought.

"It'd be fun. Let's not tell Zoey though. She gets a little too excited about slamming me with snowballs and clobbering me to the ground. That little girl is freakishly skilled at taking me down."

"She is." Liz laughed at the memory of Zoey and Jed's past snowball-fight experiences.

"So, what do you think? Is it a date?"

"I can't. The baby..."

"I'll take it easy on you."

"You never take it easy on me."

"I will this time. Scout's honor."

Liz walked cautiously toward him, then took a seat beside him. They hadn't carried a conversation without an argument in so long, she barely knew how to talk to him. They sat there for several long minutes, listening to the wind whistle through the trees and sweep the gold and rusty leaves that blanketed the front yard. Then, her intuition took over. This was her father, the same man who had cared for her and loved her her entire life, and despite their recent disagreements, she knew that hadn't changed. If nothing else, the fact that he was home in the middle of a work day proved that.

"She said my blood pressure's too high. The doctor, I mean."

"I know. I spoke to your mom already."

"Then why'd you ask me?"

"Because I wanted you to tell me."

"So I did."

"I also wanted to make sure you took what your mom said to heart."

"Which part?"

"The part about it happening in a lot of pregnancies. It's not a big deal."

"It is to me. She said I have to reduce my stress level."

"Yeah, so? You'll reduce your stress level."

"How?"

"Well, for starters, you're going to have stop being mad at me." He smiled when she glared at him. "I'm kidding."

"It's not funny."

"I guess it's not." He put one arm around her. "Come here." She snuggled into his embrace and he comforted her the best he could. "I'm sorry. I was just trying to cheer you up."

"Nothing's going to cheer me up. My life's a mess and I don't know how to fix it." Jed opened his mouth to reply, but Liz broke the hug and stopped him before he got the words out. "DON'T say it!"

"You have no idea what I was going to say."

"You were going to tell me to fix it by calling off the wedding."

"See Miss Smartypants, I wasn't going to tell you to call off the wedding."

"You weren't?" she asked, skeptical.

"No. I was going to tell you to leave Doug at the alter and marry someone else."

"Dad, I'm not in the mood for jokes."

"Okay, okay. I'll be serious."

"Thank you."

"Did you know that Doug came to see me today?"

"I didn't put him up to it."

"I know you didn't. He's worried about you. So is your mom and so am I. I miss seeing you happy."

"It's hard to be happy with everything going on."

"It seemed like you were getting there. At least for a short time, you were excited about the baby."

"More like scared to death."

"That's normal. Your mom and I were terrified when she was carrying you."

"Yeah, but you guys were married and everyone accepted you as husband and wife. You didn't have the added burden of planning a wedding that no one wants to attend or having to choose between your families and each other."

"I never wanted to make you choose between us and Doug." It hurt that she thought that. "Lizzie, I've never given you that kind of ultimatum."

"You've never said it out loud, but I started to wonder if you're thinking it."

"I'm not. Everything I've said, everything I've done, it's been because I love you. Why would I drive you away by making you choose between us?"

"That's just how it feels sometimes."

"It's not supposed to feel that way." Jed rose to his feet and took a few steps before he turned to face her.

"What?"

"What what?"

"You have a look on your face like you were about to say something, but you stopped yourself."

"Yeah, that's because it actually pains me to say it."

"What, Dad? Tell me."

"I haven't changed my opinion of Doug..."

"I know."

"...but the possibility exists that I've handled this whole thing wrong."

Liz stood up. "The possibility exists?"

"However small it might be," he was quick to add.

"What are you saying?"

"That I wish you would give this wedding more thought."

"You already told me that."

"Will you let me finish?"

"Sorry."

"You're 18 and all I can do at this point is guide you. You have to do what you think is right and it's important to me that you know my love will never depend on what you decide."

"I don't understand. Are you saying you're okay with me marrying Doug?"

"No, I'm not. This isn't about Doug. This is about you and me. I'm telling you that I will never make you choose. I will always be here for you, whether you marry him or not."

"So you'll accept it, even if you don't agree?"

Jed stalled on that one. "If you have to parse my words, yeah. Let's be clear, though, I don't like it. I think you're rushing into it and I'm afraid you might regret it someday."

"But you'll support me?"

"What else can I do? I told you how I feel and ultimatums don't work, especially with someone as stubborn as you."

"Mom says I get my stubbornness from you."

"Do you really want to go there now?"

"No," Liz replied quickly, eager to continue the conversation. "I'd rather hear the rest of what you have to say."

"There's not much more to it. The bottom line is, my love for you is stronger than my disapproval of Doug. Every time I push you to break up with him, you step just a little further away from me. If I keep going, I'm eventually going to lose you. Sometimes, I'm afraid I already have."

"You haven't," she said. "I just want your support. That's all I've wanted this whole time."

She leaned in to hug him.

"You don't feel like you're trapped, do you?"

"Trapped?" Liz pulled away so she could see his face.

"You're pregnant so you have to get married...because that's so far from the truth. Your mother and I, we'll take care of you and your baby. We'll always be here. You don't need..."

"I know, Dad. We've talked about this before. That's not why I'm doing it."

"I just had to be sure."

"I'm getting married because I want to, not because I have to."

"Is it the thought of being married? Is that what you're drawn to?"

"Of course not." Liz scoffed at that.

"Oh sure, like that's the most bizarre idea in the world," he teased. "Like you haven't been dreaming about your wedding since you were a little girl."

Liz gave a small laugh in response. "You're right, I have been dreaming about it forever."

"Romanticizing it."

"What little girl doesn't?"

"Ellie. I've never seen her walk around playing wedding day with her friends."

"Ellie's a science and math geek."

"Hey!"

"I say that lovingly! But we just like different things. I get excited when there's a sale at the mall. Ellie gets excited when it's Pi Day."

Jed chuckled with pride at his middle daughter. "She can tell you all sorts of trivia about pi."

"Believe me, she has."

"There's nothing wrong with a little math literacy."

"Can we get back to what we were talking about?"

"Go ahead."

"My point is, I wanted to get married, but not at this age. I wanted to finish college first, start law school. Life doesn't always work out the way we plan it."

"No, I guess it doesn't." Jed was still heartbroken that she quit school.

"I want to get married now because it feels right. I love him. And he loves me. Come on, if you didn't believe it before, you have to believe it now. I mean, he came to see you, knowing that you hate his guts."

"I never said I hated him."

"He's not your favorite person."

"That doesn't mean I hate him."

"Fine, you don't hate him. But you don't like him either and he still came to see you. He didn't do that because your opinion matters to him. He did it because it matters to me. Doesn't that prove that he cares about me?"

"Caring about someone isn't a reason to make a lifelong commitment to them."

"I didn't say it was. I'm just pointing out that one of your objections to our engagement was that you didn't think Doug loved me. But I know he does, and if you spent more time getting to know him, you would too."

"Are you sure you love HIM?"

"Yes."

"You have horrible taste, you know that?" He truly meant that.

"So you've said." Liz smiled, then waited a beat, before asking, "Are you still mad at me...for that night at dinner, the way I announced the engagement?"

"I don't know," Jed replied. "Are you mad at me for walking out?"

"Only if you're mad at me."

"Well that's a mature approach to the situation."

Another lighthearted smile. "I really didn't do it to upset you. I swear, I wouldn't do that."

"I believe you."

"I just wanted you to take us seriously. I guess I went about it in the wrong way."

"You did," he agreed. "But it's over. No sense in dwelling on it."

That was good news to Liz. "I'm not mad at you by the way."

Jed nodded in acknowledgment, then said, "Would I be a jerk if I was still mad at you?"

"Maybe a little."

"Did you just call me a jerk?" He looked at her sternly, but a glimmer of playfulness danced in his eyes.

"No..."

"I can't believe you called me a jerk."

"You called yourself a jerk!"

"It's disgraceful to call your father a jerk."

"I didn't call you a jerk!" she insisted.

"I distinctly heard it come from your mouth."

"I never once said the word 'jerk'!"

"Lying about it doesn't make it any better."

"Are you going to razz me like this all afternoon?"

"Yeah, I think I just might."

There was no better way to tell that things were starting to soften up between them. Teasing each other was how Jed and Liz often communicated. Jed enjoyed giving her a hard time and he liked that Liz, with a sense of humor much like his, rarely missed an opportunity to engage in the back-and-forth banter with her own smartass comebacks. The pair continued their exchange, each momentarily struck by the fact that it felt like old times again, as if the past several weeks had been wiped from their memories and they had picked up exactly where they left off before Liz's pregnancy turned their world upside down.

It only took a few minutes for Jed to be feel a wave of optimism. It was possible, he realized, to recapture the relationship he had with Liz. He treasured the father-daughter bond they shared and although he shouldered some of the responsibility for their recent falling out, he missed her too much to unrelentingly stand his ground. He feared he'd alienate her, just like Abbey said, and that she'd run off and marry Doug anyway and in the process, she'd cut him out of her life. At one time, he was willing to take that chance to stop her from making a mistake he knew she'd regret, but now that it seemed she would walk down the aisle with or without his blessing, the thought of standing in her way and risking the consequences was unfathomable.

He prepared to broach the subject of the ceremony, to tell her he knew the concerns she'd discussed with Abbey about him refusing to attend, but his attention soon turned to the brown sedan navigating the gravel road in the distance. Mrs. Wilburforce had picked Ellie and Zoey up from school and Jed realized that the second they arrived, any conversation with Liz would be interrupted by his younger daughters. So he waited, convinced there would be a better time to assure her that she didn't need to call on Uncle Jack to give her away.

As the car rolled to a stop in front of the house, Zoey jumped out of the back seat and made a run for her father. "Daddy!"

"Hey jellybean." He picked her up. "How was school? Did you learn something you can teach me?"

"You already know everything!"

Jed laughed, then looked over at Ellie. "How was your day, princess?"

"Fine," she replied, then headed up the front steps and into the house without another word.

"Not too talkative these days, is she?" Jed addressed Mrs. Wilburforce. "Were they any trouble?"

"Not with me, they never are. But..." Mrs. Wilburforce pulled a folded piece of paper from her purse.

"Uh oh." Jed put Zoey down and accepted the paper. "What happened?"

"Zoey's teacher says she refused to complete her math worksheet."

"Zoey?"

Zoey looked up at her dad, remorseful. "I didn't feel like doing math."

"What do you mean you didn't feel like doing math?"

"I wasn't in a numbers mood."

Jed was unamused. He glanced over at their housekeeper. "Thank you, Mrs. Wilburforce. Why don't you take the rest of the day off?"

"Are you sure? I can cook dinner..."

"I'll take care of it. I'm out of work early and it's been a while since the girls and I have spent some quality time together."

"Okay then. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye Zoey. Elizabeth."

"Bye." Liz waved at her.

Jed waited until she drove away before he turned to Zoey again, opening the note from her teacher at the same time. "She says you turned in a poem instead of the worksheet."

Her face lit up. "You wanna read it?"

"No," he answered sternly. "Why didn't you do the worksheet?"

"I told you, I didn't feel like it."

"I heard what you said. I was giving you another chance to give me the real reason. Did you not understand the material?"

"I understood it," she lied. "It's easy."

The truth was, Zoey struggled with even the shortest of first-grade word problems. She also hated working with numbers and that resulted in her confusion in math class. She felt stupid, too embarrassed to admit to her teacher and her father that she didn't 'get it' like her classmates did.

"Then why?"

"I just didn't feel like it."

"Stop saying that."

"But it's true!"

"When you're in school, you do what your teacher says. You know that."

"I'm sorry."

"I'll accept that apology as soon as you go upstairs and finish your worksheet."

"It's Friday. Can't I do it on Sunday? I won't be in school before then anyway."

"No, I want you to do it tonight. Right now, as a matter of fact. I want it done in an hour."

"But I wanted to watch TV."

"No TV, no games, no going outside to play, no horses, no nothing until you finish the worksheet and I check your answers."

"That's not fair!"

"You're really pushing your luck, kiddo. Get upstairs and do the worksheet before you lose privileges for the whole weekend."

"I'm calling Mommy."

"She's in surgery. Besides, if you give her the excuse you gave me, she'll ground you. And if she does, don't come to me thinking I'm going to get you out of it."

"I don't wanna do the worksheet."

"If you're having trouble understanding..."

"I'm not!"

"Then knock off the excuses and do it!"

"Fine!"

"I'm here if you need any help."

"I won't!" she grumbled, determined more than ever not to admit she was having problems with the material.

"Zo?" Jed called after her when she began to leave. "Let me see the poem."

The six-year-old handed it to him, then angrily moped into the house just in time to catch a glimpse of Ellie making her way downstairs. That's when it hit her. As she hatched her plan, she rushed up the steps and grabbed her big sister by the arm, pulling her into the privacy of the second-floor hallway.

* * *

><p>"She wrote a poem?" Abbey asked her husband later that evening in the privacy of their bedroom. She had just returned from a late night in the O.R. and had missed the chance to tuck her daughters in and catch up on their day.<p>

"A damn good one too."

"That's not the point."

"I'm just saying, she's pretty good poet, well-advanced for her age." Jed sat on the bed, watching Abbey strip out of her work clothes.

"So what happened when you sent her to her room to do the worksheet?"

"She came back down and it was done."

"Did she just scribble in answers?"

"No, she actually did it. She worked out the problems. I looked it over; her answers were right on. She knows this stuff, she's just being difficult."

"That's not like Zoey. How do you know she did the worksheet herself? Maybe Liz or Ellie did it for her."

"Liz was helping me with dinner."

The thought of Jed and Liz spending time together brought a smile to Abbey's face. "Really?"

"Yeah."

"We'll get to do that in a minute. In the meantime, how do you know Ellie didn't do it?"

"Abbey, give me some credit. I can recognize my own daughter's handwriting. It was Zoey's work."

"What if Ellie helped her with it?"

"What if she did? The point is, Zoey's the one who did the worksheet, so she must have learned the material. What difference does it make if Ellie tutored her through it as long as she learned it?"

"It doesn't make a difference, if she actually learned it. But if Zoey's afraid to tell us she doesn't understand, that's an issue. With her learning disability, we knew she might have problems in math."

"Babe, you're overreacting. This isn't the start of academic troubles. This is a case of Zoey testing the boundaries and deciding that if she didn't want to do math, she wasn't going to do math."

"It's not like Zoey to disobey her teachers."

Jed shrugged. "It's not like Ellie to skip a class, but she did."

"Don't remind me."

"Look, overall, we're raising some pretty outstanding kids, but like you always say, they're not perfect. They make mistakes and today, Zoey made one. I'm confident she learned her lesson. It won't happen again."

"You're that sure?"

"Of course. Zoey's a creative little girl. She'll find other ways to drive us crazy." He grinned.

"Not funny," she said, contradicting herself by returning that grin as she stepped out of her pants. "You and Liz are getting along?"

"We are. We had a good day."

"I'm so glad."

"She wants to arrange another meeting between me and Doug."

"Did you agree?"

"How could I not? I'm going to have to find some way of getting along with him."

"You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you standing around half-naked."

"Jed," Abbey laughed.

With his wife in front of him wearing nothing but a white blouse and panties, Jed was too distracted to talk about Doug. Instead, he grabbed Abbey's hips and pulled her onto his lap. "You are way too hot to be a doctor."

"Doctors can't be hot?"

"They can, but truly hot babes like yourself don't belong in an O.R. all day. Your hotness is wasted on unconscious patients." He kissed her lips.

"So where should I be instead?"

"On a runway or in front of the camera, like all supermodels."

That her husband considered her a supermodel after three kids and nearly 20 years of marriage made Abbey melt. "I love you."

"Show me how much." Jed stretched back so that he was lying on the bed with Abbey on top of him.

"Wait a second. Before we spend the rest of the night wrapped in each others arms, I have to tell you something."

"It better not ruin the mood." She sat up and curled her bottom lip, a move that concerned him. "Abbey?"

"Don't get mad. I didn't know what else to do."

"What is it?"

"When Liz came to see me this morning, I was desperate to put an end to this feud between you and Doug."

"It's not a feud and I'm going to take care of it, just like I said."

"I know, but..."

"But what?"

"Call it intuition. Maybe I sensed that you'd feel that way and that's why I did what I did."

"What are you talking about? What did you do?"

"I called my dad to ask him to arrange a little get-away."

"A get-away?"

"A men's get-away - for you, him, Jack, and Doug."

Jed sat bolt upright. "You didn't."

"I told him that you and Doug needed to talk things out, man-to-man and I wanted him and Jack to be there in case things got out of hand."

"That sounds like a terrible idea. Tell me he didn't already arrange it."

"He did."

"Abbey!" He turned from her, annoyed.

"I'm sorry, Jed. But this thing between you and Doug has been going on long enough. I told you before I was afraid it would destroy your relationship with Liz."

"Yeah and like I said, I'm going to work on it...on my own."

"I didn't know that at the time."

"You should have trusted me."

"I do trust you. I just wanted to give you a shove in the right direction. Look at it this way, Liz is planning a meeting between the two of you. Now she doesn't have to. It's already taken care of."

"The difference is, she asked me. You didn't." He took a breath, then asked, "What the hell kind of get-away did you set up?"

"It's an overnight trip."

"I have to spend the night with him?"

"Camping."

"Where?"

"Montpelier. The same place you went with my dad after you proposed."

"When is it supposed to happen?"

"Tomorrow."

"TOMORROW?"

"I wanted to do it as soon as possible. And if you want the truth, I worried that if we waited to do it, you'd find an excuse to back out."

"You underestimate my ability to do that now. I'm not going. I have to work."

"Jed."

"It's work, Abbey!"

"Tomorrow is Saturday."

"People work on Saturday. You, of all people, should understand that."

"If you're trying to bait me, I'm not biting."

"I'm not baiting you. I'm just saying people have to work on Saturday. You know that," he said in a less angry tone. "You should have asked me."

"You're right," she admitted. "I'm sorry I didn't ask."

"Why can't you undo it? Call your dad and tell him I can't go."

"He's already told Doug, who by the way, is taking it as a sign that you want a cease fire. If you don't go, it's just going to make things worse between you two."

"That's not my fault."

"It's my fault, I get that. I should have checked with you."

"Yes, you should have."

"But I didn't. Don't let my short-sightedness inflame an already touchy situation."

"I can't believe you did this."

"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?"

"At least a dozen more," he replied. "This is the worst thing you could have done."

"Who's overreacting now?" she mumbled loud enough for him to hear.

"How am I overreacting? You went behind my back and set up an overnight trip with a man I can't stand."

"It's not like you weren't going to meet with him anyway! You just said the difference between what Liz did and what I did is that she asked you first!"

"You don't think that's a big thing?"

"I do, but you're fighting on principle now."

"Principle is important."

"Fine, but stop pretending that you're pissed about spending time with Doug. What you're pissed about is me arranging it without your input."

"Frankly, I'm pissed about both."

She gave him a minute to calm down, then took a different approach. "Jed?"

"What?"

"I don't want to argue."

"I don't either."

"Then let's not let this ruin our night."

"It already has."

"No, it hasn't." Up on her knees on the mattress, she moved closer to him so she could lean down from behind him and drop kisses to the side of his face. "I'm sorry." He didn't respond at first. "Honey, I mean it. Please forgive me."

Jed found it difficult to resist her like this, although he did try. "We've had this fight before. You know I hate it when you make decisions for me."

Abbey stopped then. "This isn't like those other times."

"Why isn't it?"

"We're falling apart."

"What?"

"Me, you, Liz, the family. There's constant tension and fighting. It's horrible. When it started to affect Liz's pregnancy, I felt like I had to do something drastic."

He had to admit, he could relate to her reasoning. "Her doctor's appointment is why I came home early today. I felt like I had to do something too."

"And that's why you agreed to sit down with Doug. We had the same idea. We just went about it in different ways."

"Yeah, but with your way, I'm stuck in the woods with the guy for 24 hours."

"It wasn't fair for me to force you into it. I just didn't know what else to do to make things better between you and Liz."

"Do you really think this'll do it?"

"I'm hoping. I'm sorry I didn't talk it over with you first, but I can't apologize for wanting to restore peace in the family."

As wrong as she was, Jed understood her motivation. Still, he couldn't get past the weekend of hell that was coming.

"Twenty-four hours. Do you know how long that is in Doug minutes?" He dreaded it. "By the way, I won't be responsible for what happens out there, just so you know."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm not a babysitter."

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't see it? Isolated woods in the cold Vermont night, a book of matches, and dumbass Doug trying to start a fire. I can't imagine what could go wrong."

"Stop."

"That's just one possibility. There are many more. Has he ever been camping? He could get lost on a hike, fall down a rabbit hole, any number of things could happen."

"You're warning me so that you can absolve yourself of all blame, aren't you?"

"Damn right! You're my witness!" She cracked a smile. "What?"

"You're back to making jokes. It must mean that you're not really mad at me anymore."

"No, I am."

"You would still be seething if you were."

"I am seething. It's just covered up by my charm. That's how good an actor I am."

"Uh huh."

"I'm still mad."

"Sure you are."

"I am, Abbey. You were totally out of line."

"Mmm hmm." Abbey started to nibble on his ear.

"That's not going to help."

"No?"

"No, and let me tell you something, you're lucky I was in a good mood before you told me. Any other night, I would have walked right out of here."

"I know. I'm also grateful you're so randy tonight." It would make him forgive her so much faster.

"What's that supposed mean? You think I'll forget about this if you make love to me?"

"It's a possibility." She sat behind him and slid her hands under his shirt to stroke his bare chest.

"An unlikely possibility. I have a real issue with what you did and a night of sex isn't going to make me get over it."

"We'll see." Abbey took that as a challenge.

"I had plans for the weekend you would have enjoyed, I hope you know. Now you've ruined them."

"I thought you had to work."

"Work was part of the plan. The other part of the plan was to seduce you."

"You can seduce me now," she said, her chin resting on his shoulder as her hands massaged his chest.

"I'm not in the mood now."

"Let's see what we can do about that." She kissed the back of his neck.

"You're wasting your time." He felt her hot breath on his skin just before she hit that special spot behind his ear that made him wiggle. "I'm really mad, Abbey."

If Jed didn't want to make love, he could have pushed her away. Had he resisted, even a little, Abbey would have backed off out of respect for the unspoken rule between them that they would never pressure each other in bed. But he sat there, a willing participant whose verbal rejection contradicted the physical and emotional cues he sent his wife. He wanted this as much as she did; he was just waiting to see how far she'd go before he admitted it.

"You have every right to be mad," she conceded between kisses. "What I did was terrible."

"Yes, it was."

"I know." She said with a soft husky voice, "I'm such a naughty little vixen."

"You are." It was getting harder to hide how turned on he was as she trailed the side of his neck.

"I'm not denying it." She reached around from behind to unbuckle his jeans. Her hands slipped inside of them and just as she suspected, she felt his erection strain against his boxers. "Why, hello there."

"That won't do it. I'm still angry." The strength it took to resist made him grunt.

"I deserve your anger...and more." She whispered in his ear as her hands fondled him, "You wanna punish me for my misdeed?"

The words alone nearly sent Jed toward a climax. He grabbed her wrist and turned his head so he could look at her. With a devilish grin, he said, "I do."

"I'm all yours. Do anything you wish."

That was the last straw for Jed. He couldn't hold back a moment longer. Abbey withdrew her hand from inside his jeans as Jed helped her onto her back. He unbuttoned her blouse, yanked it off her body, and launched it across the room. Her white lace bra was next. He unclipped the front clasp and tossed it over his shoulder. He then hooked his fingers into the sides of her silky white panties, pulled them down over those sexy legs he loved so much, and threw them over the edge of the bed. He took a second to rid himself of his own sweatshirt, then stared down at her, his chest now bare and his pants still unbuttoned. Lying there completely naked and willing to do whatever he wanted, Abbey quivered in anticipation, waiting for him to make his next move.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 5

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Jed and Liz called a truce; Abbey set up a weekend camping trip for her father, Jed, Jack, and Doug in hopes that the men will work out their differences

Summary: Abbey and Liz discuss baby names; Jed remembers his trip to Montpelier with James shortly after he proposed to Abbey; Zoey decides she hates her name; when Jed finds it difficult to find common ground with Doug, James tries to intervene; Liz asks for Abbey's help

* * *

><p>The drive to Vermont was the longest drive of Jed's life. Propped up in the front passenger's seat while his father-in-law navigated the way, the scenery didn't interest him. Montpelier, unlike most Vermont towns, was part of the northeast interstate system, making for a boring two-hour ride on a bare highway instead of picturesque country roads. And conversation wasn't an option, given the tumultuous relationship between him and Doug, who was sitting in the back-seat. So, he sat there quietly, stealing a few glances at his watch as he waited for James to cross the state border.<p>

As awkward as it was for Jed, it was even more awkward for Jack. He was in the back too, sitting inches from the man whose relationship with his niece drove a wedge between him and his brother. It may have been unfair, but it was easy to blame Doug, especially after that unforgettable day when Jack found Elizabeth depressed and heartbroken. The pain in her voice still made him flinch. The two men squared off downstairs and a surly Doug pushed past him in a hasty getaway effort that left Jack as confused as he was angry. Liz came clean and pleaded with him to keep her secret until she summoned the courage to tell her parents. Jack agreed, the only favor he'd done for her since she was a little girl.

But all these weeks later, he still found himself wondering if Jed would ever understand. He'd gotten over Liz's deception, forgiven her for the lies she told about school, but, it seemed to Jack, he hadn't quite come to grips with being left in the dark. There was still something there, Jack felt, some lingering breech of loyalty that had yet to be mended, despite their cordial interaction. He hoped this weekend would help to bury the incident once and for all.

Although an outsider to the private drama between the brothers, James was every bit a part of the family turmoil. And he hated it. His disapproval of Liz's engagement was no surprise to anyone, but when Abbey called to ask him to arrange this men's getaway weekend, he couldn't refuse her. There had been too many heated arguments, too many hurtful words exchanged. He wanted it to end as badly as she did and the only way to accomplish the task of restoring harmony was for Jed and Doug to call a truce once and for all and for everyone to respect the decision that Liz had made and welcome Doug into the family. He had his doubts that it would happen, but the fact that both men agreed to the trip was certainly a step in the right direction.

Or so he hoped. Driving in a silent car and feeling the overwhelming tension in the air made him wonder if he was overestimating the power of the trip. That thought festered as he followed the peaks and valleys in the road and neared their destination.

* * *

><p>Back at the Bartlet farm, Abbey and Elizabeth were up early, cooking breakfast side-by-side at the stove while Zoey, still in her PJs, sat at the kitchen table, coloring and listening to their chatter. It was one of her favorite pastimes, eavesdropping on her parents and sisters. Since Liz's pregnancy announcement, there had been too much drama in the house to enjoy it, but things were settling down and the banter was finally returning back to normal.<p>

Zoey quietly crinkled her nose as Liz asked their mother an important question.

"What do you think of Charlotte?"

"Charlotte." Abbey repeated it to hear the sound. "It's classic. You can't go wrong with a classic."

"Doug doesn't like it. He says he can't picture it on a baby."

"I think he's wrong. Charlotte would be beautiful on a baby. Besides, babies are only babies for a short time."

"True," Liz agreed. "Did you and Dad agree on all of our names?"

"Mostly."

Zoey lifted her head at that. "Whose name didn't you agree on?"

"Ellie's," Abbey said. "Your father wanted to name her Eleanor. I wanted Emma."

"So Dad won," Liz concluded.

Abbey shrugged. "I gave in because he didn't argue with me about Elizabeth."

"Dad didn't want to name me Elizabeth?"

"Elizabeth was his second choice."

"What was his first?"

"I don't know, Penelope or something."

"You're kidding!" Liz wasn't amused when Abbey laughed at the horrified expression on her face. "Mom!"

"What difference does it make?"

"It's my name. If I was almost named Penelope, I think I should know."

"We would have called you Penny...or was it Poppy we agreed on?"

"Mom!"

"Relax, baby doll. There are worse names than Penelope out there. I actually like it."

"It wouldn't fit me."

"Well, it's not like it's your name, so don't worry about it. Anyway, I'm kidding. Your father's first choice was Olivia."

A much better option in Liz's mind. "Olivia? That's kind of sweet. You didn't like it?"

"I did...and for a while in my tummy, you were Olivia Anne Bartlet. Livi, we called you. But we made the mistake of revealing the name to friends and family before you were born and one night, your Uncle Leo called. He asked how "little Ollie" was doing."

"OLLIE?" Liz was even more disgusted by that.

"You should have seen your father's face. He bitterly hung up the phone, told me we were going with Elizabeth, and that was that."

"Ollie? Seriously?"

"Yup!"

"I'm so glad you changed he changed his mind. I can't imagine being anyone but Elizabeth."

"Really? Because you used to hate your name."

"I never hated it. I just thought it was ordinary. But I was wrong. It's versatile enough that I can go by anything I want."

"What's versatile?" Zoey asked her sister.

"It means you can make other names out of it. So if I name my baby Charlotte, we can call her Charley or Lottie. Or if I go with something like Victoria, we can call her Vicky or Ria." Liz addressed her mother. "Is that something you considered when we were born?"

"I did consider it. That was one of the drawbacks to naming Ellie Emma. A longer name allowed for options...like Lizzie"

"Why'd you start calling me Lizzie?"

"Truth be told, you chose Lizzie."

"I did? How?"

"I called you by a series of nicknames when you were a baby, trying to find one I liked. One night, when you were crying, I was holding you and you had your face buried in my shoulder. I blurted out 'Lizzie' as I tried to calm you, and suddenly, you stopped. You looked at me as if you knew I was calling you. It only lasted a second or two before you started crying again, but that was the first time you ever responded to your name. After that, it just stuck."

"So it's my fault I'm a Lizzie?"

"Lizzie is a beautiful name. Just as you can't see yourself as anything other than an Elizabeth, I can't imagine you as anyone other than Lizzie. Your grandpa called you Betty once. Your dad gave him the evil eye."

Liz chuckled. "An Ollie flashback, I bet."

Zoey sat back quietly, sad that there was no humorous story to be told about her name. She had been born early, before her parents were fully prepared, so her name was chosen on a spur of the moment at the NICU where she spent the first several weeks of her life. She'd heard the stories about why they settled on Zoey and how meaningful a choice it was, but it didn't matter. In her six-year-old mind, her name could never measure up to the names of her sisters. It just wasn't that special.

She twirled her crayon between her fingers, continuing to listen to Abbey and Liz until Ellie dragged herself in.

"Mark the occasion. Ellie's up before noon on a Saturday," Abbey teased her middle daughter as she wrapped her arm around Ellie's neck and pulled her in for a good-morning kiss.

"Ha ha," Ellie grumbled.

"You're just in time to set the table." Liz handed her a stack of plates.

"What's for breakfast?"

"Banana pancakes. And we're talking about baby names. What do you think of Samantha?"

"I thought it was Charlotte," Abbey interrupted.

"I think I like Samantha better."

Ellie shook her head. "I don't like it."

"Even the nicknames, like Sam or Sami?"

"Nicknames are overrated."

Abbey was surprised to hear that. "Oh really...Ellie?"

"Ellie wasn't my choice. That's just what you guys started calling me."

"Would you have preferred Eleanor?"

Ellie shrugged. "Anything's better than Ellie. Although I don't like Eleanor that much either."

"We could call you Elle," Liz offered. "That's kind of elegant."

"It's not elegant; it's a letter. What if I started calling you D? And anyway, you already call me Elle."

"No, I call you El, as in E-L, a shortened form of Ellie. If you went by Elle, we'd spell it E-L-L-E, like it's its own name."

"It's not even a real name. It's a pronoun in French."

"Good thing we don't live in France then. Do you want to be called Nor? Or Nora?"

"I kinda like Nora."

"You don't look like a Nora," Abbey replied.

"What do I look like?"

"You look like Ellie."

"What about Ella?" Liz asked.

"That's pretty," Ellie agreed.

"See? You can make so many other names out of Eleanor. It gives you choices."

"I guess. But I still don't like Samantha."

"Well, I have a whole list of names with great nickname potential."

"Like what?"

"Charlotte, Francesca, Alexandra..."

"My name doesn't have a nickname," Zoey reminded them all, feeling even more left out now.

"You, my love, have a name that doesn't need a nickname," Abbey assured her. "It's beautiful just the way it is."

"Zoey's not beautiful," she frowned.

"What do you mean it's not beautiful?"

"It starts with a "Z" and it doesn't even have a nickname like Lizzie and Ellie."

"Yes it does," Liz tried to reason with her. "I call you 'Zo' all the time."

"I don't like Zo. I want another name."

"Your middle name's Patricia. Do you like that better?" Liz continued her train of thought with Abbey. "Speaking of which, I don't have any middle names picked out. If I go with something old-fashioned for the first name, I think I should go with something a little more unique for the middle, like Juniper."

"Juniper?" Ellie scrunched her face at that. "Where did that come from?"

"It's a name."

"It's a tree."

"It's also a name."

"So is Apollonia. Doesn't mean it's a good one. Your baby will never forgive you."

"Samantha Juniper doesn't really have a nice ring to it," Abbey added.

"I like Juniper!" Zoey said, showing a glimmer of enthusiasm for the first time that morning. "Can that be my name?"

"You already have a name."

"I want a different name. Can I change it to Juniper? Please?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because your father and I named you Zoey and that's going to be your name. It's already on your birth certificate."

"She could change it," Liz offered, backing down when Abbey glared at her.

"Yeah, I could change it. It's MY name. Why don't I get to choose what it is?"

"You're not changing your name, Zoey."

"Why is it bad if I want to be called Juniper?"

Abbey sighed with frustration. "Zoey."

"Will you think about it?"

"No. Now put your crayons away and go wash up for breakfast."

"Call me Juniper first." She flashed her mother a 100-watt smile.

"Zoey."

"Pleeeeaasssseee? Just this once?"

Gritting her teeth, Abbey did it to make her happy. "Fine, Juniper, put your crayons away and go wash up."

Zoey smiled even brighter as she pushed out her chair and made her way to the bathroom.

Abbey turned her eyes to her eldest daughter. "Thanks a lot. When your father asks why she won't answer to Zoey, you're the one who's going to tell him."

* * *

><p>As the sun completed its morning ascent, the clouds shielded its rays. Jed stared out the windshield, squinting to see the fog-covered golden dome in the distance. It capped Vermont's State House, a clear sign that they were nearing Montpelier and that soon, he couldn't rely on the car ride to offer him a break from the confrontation he felt brewing between them. Forced to face Doug, he'd have to stamp it out, actually talk to him and try like hell to find some common ground. How would he ever do that? Was it even possible? He searched his heart and drew on the memories etched in his brain over 20 years ago, when James took him on a hike in these very woods after he proposed to Abbey.<p>

It was January 1967, the dead of winter. Jed still remembered those frigid temperatures, so blistery cold that even he dressed in layer upon layer to block the chill. He remembered the gray and dreary winter sky, much like today. The towering trees, bare after they shed their canopies, offered no protection against the stinging wind that sprayed them with newly fallen snow. But he kept his composure, hid his discomfort, and worked toward his goal of convincing James of his deep love for Abbey and his commitment to always keep her happy.

"Mary's father brought me here when I told him I wanted to propose," the older man had shared as they hiked through the woods. "Back then, it was tradition for the groom to ask his future father-in-law for his daughter's hand before proposing."

Jed was a traditional man who had planned to do the same. The last thing he wanted was for James to feel disrespected. "I was going to ask you for Abbey's hand as well."

"You didn't."

"I know. Abbey sort of beat me to the punch."

"Oh?" James looked at him curiously.

"I wasn't going to propose when I did. See, I wanted to talk to you first, clear it with you and make sure you had no reservations about me so that if she said yes, we wouldn't have another hurdle to climb. My plan was to talk to you, then take her out to a nice dinner and pop the question. But when I got back from London, she proposed to me."

"She proposed?"

"Yes, sir. I tried to redirect her so that I could do it myself without spoiling the surprise, but it didn't work. If I didn't propose right then, I'd have to flat-out reject her proposal and I couldn't do that."

"She proposed to you." James chuckled in admiration at his daughter's forwardness at a time when most women took a back-seat to their male counterparts. "Sounds like Abbey."

"You raised an amazing daughter. She's ahead of her time."

"Yes, she is. She wants to be a doctor."

"I know."

"Is that a problem for you?"

"A problem? Why would it be?"

"You want to go to graduate school in London, right?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you aware that medical eduction is different over there? They enter medical school immediately after high school. It's a six-year program, unlike the U.S., where you complete your undergraduate university studies first."

"I know."

"And it's not like she can take classes over there. It doesn't work that way."

"I know that too."

"So how do you plan to make it work?"

"We haven't decided yet." That statement was met with a disapproving stare. "We have a lot to work out, but whatever happens, I'm going to make sure that Abbey attends medical school. You have my word on that."

"Have you thought about the future?"

"In what sense?"

"Physicians lead busy lives. She won't be home to cook you dinner every night."

"I can cook for myself...and for her as well."

"You cook?"

"I do. Not nearly as well as she does, but I can put together a recipe or two."

"What about household chores?"

"I grew up doing chores alongside my mother. I'm capable of keeping the house running while she's in training and later when she's working."

"What about children?"

"We haven't talked about that yet."

"That's an important topic, don't you think?"

"Of course. We'll discuss it."

"Would you expect her to sacrifice her career to be home with the kids?"

"No, of course not. They would be our children and we'd raise them together. Look, I don't want to marry Abbey so that she can be my cook or my housekeeper or so that she can raise my children. I want to marry her so that she can be my partner, equal in every aspect of our lives. If we have kids..."

"If?"

"It's not something that's right for everyone."

James didn't know it at the time, but Jed was jaded by his violent childhood and terrified of becoming a father.

"Anyway," he continued. "If we have kids, they'll be as much my responsibility as hers."

"Most men think raising children is a woman's job."

"I'm not most men."

James quickly picked up on that. Aside from the hiccup over the idea of children, nothing about Jed gave him pause. It didn't bother Jed that Abbey would eventually make more money, that she would dedicate her professional life to a field so far removed from his own aspirations, surrounded by other men, most of whom would be her intellectual equal. As traditional a man as he was, Jed was also fairly progressive with every intention of helping and supporting Abbey to reach the goals she had set for herself. He vowed to take care of her, to never shatter her heart, to love her as deeply as a man could love a woman, and to respect and honor her until the day he died.

If only Doug gave Jed the same indication. If only there was something that would prompt the sigh of relief that James felt that day in the woods. He wanted to give his daughter blessing and restore harmony in the family, but every fatherly instinct screamed out at him that this wasn't the love of Liz's life and that jumping into a marriage at such a young age would eventually cause her even more heartbreak. Knowing, he couldn't approach Doug with hostility, he fought those feelings as they pulled into the entrance to the same campground he'd visited with James 20 years earlier.

* * *

><p>"Mom?" Liz knocked on the door to the Bartlet study, then let herself in. "Do you have to work today?"<p>

"No," Abbey replied. "In fact, as soon as I'm done charting, I'll be free."

"In that case..." Liz went on, an idea in her head, "can you help me with something?"

"What?"

"My resume."

"You're getting a job?"

"I figured it's time. Doug can't support this baby by himself and I don't want to lean on you and Dad for the rest of my life."

"Your doctor said you have to take it easy."

"I know and I will. The jobs I'm looking at are more receptionist-type positions. You know, answer the phone, greet visitors, stuff like that. That should be safe, right?"

"Yeah."

"My problem is, I haven't exactly done anything to prepare myself for the job market."

"That's not true. You have skills. We just need to highlight them." It was difficult for Abbey not to push the college thing again, but she bit her tongue to avoid alienating her daughter.

"You could work for Dad," Ellie suggested as she strutted in behind her sister wearing a sweater, jeans, and a heavy autumn jacket. The older girl stared at her. "What? He could use someone at his office here in town. He always says Mrs. Landingham is doing the work of two people."

"She's an office manager, El. I'm nowhere near qualified for that."

Abbey thought out loud. "Maybe you could help with scheduling or just answering phones. You could run errands for him, a personal assistant type of thing?"

"I don't think so."

"Why not?" Ellie questioned.

Abbey eyed her middle daughter up and down. "What are you dressed for?"

"I was coming to tell you that Zoey and I are going on a bike ride. We'll be back for lunch." She turned on her heels to head out.

"Not so fast," Abbey called out to her. Ellie reluctantly turned around. "Helmets?"

"Mom..." The annoyed preteen rolled her eyes.

"You're not going without your helmets."

"You know we're the only kids in the state who have to wear helmets when we ride our bikes, right?"

"If it's such a burden on you, you could just not ride your bike."

Ellie sighed. "Fine, we'll wear our helmets."

"And it's cold outside. Tell Zoey to wear her coat."

"Fine."

"Gloves too!" Abbey yelled out to her as Ellie stomped out of the study and to break the news to Zoey. Abbey then turned her attention back to Liz. "She has a point."

"About working for Dad?"

"It's the best job you're going to get. You liked interning on his campaign."

"That was different. It was only one summer. This would be a paid position and the only reason he'd hire me is because I'm his daughter."

"And because you're smart, you're quick on your feet, you're reliable, you're good at communicating with people, and most importantly, you're interested in what he does. He's said a million times you have a natural talent for politics."

Abbey thought it was perfect. It would give Liz a chance to earn her way in the world and fill the empty space on her resume until she decided what she wanted to do about her future. And working for Jed, the hours would be flexible, a blessing if there was a complication with her pregnancy. But even more importantly, it would give father and daughter an opportunity to get close again and repair the bond they once shared.

It was true that Jed loved all his daughter equally, but there was something special about his relationship with Elizabeth, something that, until recently, seemed indestructible. Abbey knew it could be that way again and that this could be the first step in the healing process. Eventually, transgressions would be forgiven, they would soothe the hurt feelings, and the disagreements of the past several weeks would morph into nothing more than a footnote in the Bartlet family history.

But strong-minded Liz had her own ideas. "You don't think I can a get a job on my own?"

"I didn't say that."

"You should. You'd be right." She pulled out the piece of paper she had yanked from the typewriter in her room. "Look at it. It's bare. All this resume does is announce to the world that I didn't go to college. How am I supposed to market myself to the world? The only thing I'm qualified to do is go back to being a hostess at Friendly's."

"You liked Friendly's," Abbey reminded her.

"Yeah, and it was fine when I was in high school. But I told everyone I was moving on and now I have to go crawling back to my old job."

"You're not crawling."

"I might as well be. I was supposed to be at Wellesley. It's embarrassing to have to go back."

"What's so embarrassing about it?" Abbey continued, "Do you think you're too good to go back to waiting tables?"

"That's not what I meant!" Liz was as shocked by the question as Abbey was at asking it.

"Then what's so embarrassing about it?" When Liz bowed her head and glazed her eyes over her resume, Abbey prodded. "Do you want to work at my office? You could help out with the front desk on the days I'm in clinic."

"No."

"Sweetheart, I want to help you but I don't know how. You won't fill out applications at the mall, you refuse to work for your dad, you won't go back to Friendly's. What kind of job are you hoping to get?"

"One that's in a dark office far away from people."

"All people?"

"People who know me. People who are going to ask questions about why I'm not at school."

"So that's what's troubling you. You don't want to run into people who might ask what happened." Abbey allowed for a brief pause before she stood up to look Liz in the eye. "You don't want to run into your friends"

"I don't have friends anymore."

"Because you choose not to. You sit at home or you go out with Doug. That's all you do. Tori's called here countless times and you force your sisters to tell her you're not home and then you never call her back."

"What am I supposed to say to her? Am I supposed to brag about failing out of college? She's going to want to all the details and I can't talk about it. It's too humiliating."

"It's humiliating because no one ever told you that it's okay to be human." Abbey walked around the desk that stood between them. "I'm telling you now. It's okay not to always excel at everything. It's okay to fail every once in a while. You put so much pressure on yourself; you always have. It's like the world will come crashing down on its axis if you're not the best at every single thing you try."

"I never thought I had to be the best. All I wanted to do was succeed, like you and Dad."

"Your father and I have been very fortunate, but we've also had our challenges. Maybe it's wrong of us to never tell you those stories. Instead, we chose to tell you the encouraging stories, the anecdotes that make you feel that life will always turn out just the way you want it to."

"Because anything is possible with hard work. That's what you always said."

"It's true, anything IS possible, but some things will be more difficult than others. Up until college, you had a pretty easy time of it. You're so smart that school came easy to you."

"I worked really hard for my grades."

"I know you did, that's not what I meant. All I'm saying is that some of your classmates had to go home and hammer the homework day after day after day to understand what you understood a week earlier. Then you go to Wellesley and it was a whole new student population. Everything wasn't clicking as quickly as you wanted it to, and on top of that, let's be honest, how much effort did you really put in to your classes?"

"I tried to, I really did. But when I found out I was pregnant..."

"I know. It would have been a shock to anyone. My point is, things didn't fall apart at Wellesley because you couldn't cut it. Things fell apart because the study strategies you had used all your life weren't working anymore and you were too preoccupied to figure that out and fix it in time."

"It wasn't just the pregnancy, Mom. I was in over my head."

"I don't believe that."

"The girls at Wellesley are so smart, they're so good at so many things...and they were having fun. I was miserable thinking about all the studying I had to do, all the assignments I had, all the tests. They enjoyed it. They thrived on the pressure. All I could think was that I had made a huge mistake. I didn't belong there and it was obvious to everyone."

Abbey had her work cut out for her. Helping Liz land a job seemed to be much easier now, given the greater task of building her self-esteem. Her list of achievements was a mile long, but her focus never wavered from the failures she had yet to accept, failures that ate away at her every single day.

* * *

><p>The sleet fell hard in Montpelier, much harder than even Jed expected for a mid-November storm. The wind didn't make things any easier for the four men as they hauled their camping gear from the car, through a wet and muddy foot trail, and into the shelter of a cozy cabin that Abbey had booked. She had seen the weather report and knew that despite her husband's protests, the overnight wind chill made it next to impossible to sleep outside. She suspected Jed would grumble about it, and she was right.<p>

"This isn't camping. Camping is under the stars, not cramped in some old, dingy cabin," he complained the minute they walked in.

"It's too cold outside," Jack replied.

"You call yourself a New Englander?"

James lugged a cooler into the cabin and propped it up on the counter. "Abbey packed us some sandwiches for lunch."

"Probably because she knew it would be nighttime before we set out on a hike," Doug said.

"I'm sorry, are we not moving fast enough for you, Doug?"

"Jed." James redirected his son-in-law.

"I meant because of the weather," Doug replied. "It's going to be like this for hours."

"Have you never hiked in bad weather before?"

"I have and it's miserable."

"No one said you had to go."

Jack interrupted then, "Come on, guys. We didn't come here to fight."

James stepped toward the door. "Jed, I could use your help getting the rest of the gear out of the car."

An obvious attempt at diffusing an argument before it even started.

Jed sighed, then followed James outside, letting the door close behind them. "He was being snarky."

"Why did you agree to come here?" James asked him.

"Abbey didn't give me much of a choice."

"You had a choice - you could have said no. You came because you wanted to put an end to all this, so stop sabotaging that goal."

"I'm not. I just can't stand the guy."

"You don't have to like him; but you do have to accept him."

Jed thought back to his conversation with James 20 years earlier. "If I had derailed Abbey's dreams of becoming a doctor, would you have accepted me?"

"If Abbey insisted on marrying you, I would have had no choice. We don't get to choose who our children end up with. It's their life. We have to respect their choices."

"That's not as easy as it sounds."

"I know." James sympathized. He wasn't a big fan of Doug's either. "But for Elizabeth's sake, you have to try."

"Yeah."

"I mean really try."

Jed took a deep breath. "I'm going to need your help."

"I'll run interference as much as I can."

"Actually, I meant I need your help to run him off for good." He gave his father-in-law a mischievous grin.

"I'm going to have to rein you in quite a bit, aren't I?"

"We could give him some money and a one-way ticket to Bermuda, tell Liz he got cold feet..."

"Money and plane tickets? Why not just stage a sledding accident and keep him here in Vermont until Liz meets someone new?" James reached for the door to go back in.

"Now you're thinking. There was a Rhodes Scholar she let get away..."

* * *

><p>"GRANDMA'S HERE!" Ellie announced as she led Mary into the farmhouse.<p>

Abbey and Liz looked up to see them walk into the kitchen.

"Mom, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Abbey greeted her with a kiss on the cheek.

"It would have ruined the surprise."

"Surprise?"

"Chocolate coconut cupcakes." Mary handed her a large dish. "They're Lizzie's favorite."

"Thanks, Grandma." Lizzie hugged her.

"I like them too!" Zoey told her, quickly stripping out of her coat and helmet and eyeing the delicious treat.

"I was thinking about you too, snowflake," Mary assured her. "Next week, I'll make the strawberry ones you like."

"With sprinkles?"

"Of course!" She tweaked the six-year-old's nose.

"Grandma, you're just in time to help with my resume!" Liz directed the older woman toward the typewriter she had set on the kitchen table.

"Why do you need a resume?"

"Because I'm getting a job."

"You're pregnant."

"Pregnant women can work, Mom," Abbey chuckled.

"I know, but..." Mary addressed her granddaughter. "I just assumed you'd be taking it easy."

"Mom said it would be okay."

"Honey, if you're worried about money..."

"I am worried about money. I didn't realize how expensive having a baby can be."

"How expensive?" Ellie asked while stuffing her face with her grandmother's cupcakes.

"Don't worry about it," Abbey replied.

"I just wanna know."

"It's not something you're going to have to think about for a very, very, VERY long time."

"What's the harm in knowing?"

"I wanna know too!" Zoey agreed, flinging her mittens on the table.

"Go put those away."

"Later."

"Now. Ellie, you too. And hang up your coats."

As the two girls left the kitchen, Mary continued with Liz, "You don't have to worry about expenses. I'll take care of it."

"Mom..." Abbey interjected.

"She's my granddaughter, Abigail, and she's carrying my great-grandbaby. I'm allowed to spoil her."

"Liz is getting a job because she wants a job. It'll be good for her and it'll give her something else to put on her resume when she decides what she wants to do for a career."

"I thought she didn't want a career."

Suddenly, Liz felt caught in the middle of a brewing debate between her mother and grandmother. "I didn't say that."

"You've said many times over the years that raising kids and having a career aren't compatible. Don't you remember?"

"You said that, Liz?" Abbey wasn't exactly stunned. She'd been in med school and residency when Liz was growing up and she knew how much Liz hated it.

"Maybe." Liz wasn't sure if she regretted saying it or regretted the way her mother found out. "But I didn't mean anything by it."

Mary saw the hurt expression on her daughter's face and immediately tried to smooth things over. "Abbey, it wasn't because of you that she said it. It was just talk."

"I'm sure it was," Abbey said, trying to brush it off as she headed to the sink to wash dishes.

"I would have never said anything if I thought you'd take it personally. I'm sorry, sweetheart."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. I'm fine. I'm not even surprised that Liz feels that way. I just didn't think she was talking to other people about me...I mean, about it."

"We weren't talking about you when I said it."

"Of course we weren't!" Mary confirmed. "We wouldn't do that." Mary approached her. "Abbey."

"I said I'm fine. Really." Abbey lied, too proud to admit to hurt feelings.

It was no secret that Mary was rather old-fashioned. She had chosen to stay home and raise her kids, as most women did in the 1950s. She enjoyed it and felt the fulfillment of any career woman she'd ever known. But Abbey was different. She wanted the career, the husband, and the kids. Mary couldn't understand the motivation that pushed Abbey toward a career so demanding of her time, but she respected her daughter's choices, even if it wasn't always obvious to everyone else.

The conversation came to a screeching halt then, and silence filled the air until the phone rang moments later.

Abbey rushed to answer it.

"Hello?" Her tone quickly changed. "Whoa, whoa, Jack, slow down. What happened?" Mary and Liz listened as Abbey grew alarmed. "What hospital?"

"Hospital?" Mary asked.

"We're on our way." Abbey slammed the receiver down and rushed out of the kitchen, Mary and Liz on her heels. "Ellie, Zoey, get down here!"

"Abbey, what happened?"

"They're at the hospital."

"Where?"

"In Vermont."

"Why?" Liz started to panic.

Ellie crept downstairs, hesitation in her steps. "What's wrong?"

"Get your coat on. We have to go. Where's Zoey?"

"She won't come down unless you call her Juniper."

Abbey was at her breaking point and in no mood to humor her youngest daughter. She yelled upstairs, "ZOEY PATRICIA BARTLET, GET DOWN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Thinking she was in trouble, Zoey raced down the stairs.

"Mom, what's going on?" Liz asked again.

"I don't know for sure. Just get your coats on and go out to the car." Abbey reached for her own coat and swung it over her arm. "Lizzie, help your sisters?"

The older girl grabbed three coats from the closet and ushered Ellie and Zoey out of the house.

"What in the world happened?" Mary asked again.

With the girls gone, Abbey took her mother's hand and said, "It's Dad."

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 6

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Abbey, Liz, Ellie, and Zoey discussed baby names; Jed, James, Doug, and Jack embarked on a trip to Vermont after Abbey convinced Jed to settle things with Doug once and for all; Liz felt caught in the middle of a mother/daughter debate between Mary and Abbey about working moms; Jed and Doug argued; Jack called Abbey to tell her that James had been taken to the hospital

Summary: Abbey, Mary, and the girls rush to the hospital; Doug recalls what happened in the woods; Jed and Doug have a moment of peace

* * *

><p>It was a two-hour drive from Manchester to Montpelier, Vermont. Two hours for Abbey to work herself into a frenzy, imagining and filtering through all the possibilities that engorged her mind when Jack told her that her father had become ill. He'd fallen to the ground, felt weak and dizzy. A stroke, most likely, he'd said, as if Abbey needed someone to point that out to her. She knew what a stroke looked like and what's worse is she knew the consequences of having one. Some recovered fully, but many experienced life-long limitations and deficits and some even suffered permanent brain damage that robbed them of their personality. Would her father be one of those people, she wondered. Or would he be one of the lucky ones who would take this as a warning to take better care of himself?<p>

She caught a glimpse at her mother sitting in the passenger's seat. Mary never needed words to communicate her emotions. Her expressive eyes said it all - the nervousness, the uncertainty, the fear. The last time Abbey remembered this look was 30 years ago when her father, then a patrol officer, had been shot in the line of duty. It alarmed her then, as a scared little girl, and it alarmed her now, as a grown and capable adult. She glanced at the rearview mirror to see her daughters still and quiet in the back, then floored the gas pedal as they careened through the mountains.

* * *

><p>"Jed?" With Doug only steps behind, Jack burst through the waiting room doors, where he saw his brother anxiously pacing the floor. "How is he?"<p>

"CT scan was clear, but they're admitting him. Did you call Abbey?"

Jack nodded. "She's on her way. Was he awake in the ambulance?"

"Yeah," Jed recalled. "He was awake. And pale. He was so pale. So sick."

"It's okay. They'll take care of him. He'll be just fine."

Jack tried to sound confident for Jed's sake. Jed appreciated the optimism, even if he didn't believe it. He turned around and made his way toward a line of chairs packed against the wall. He heaved a sigh, reflecting on the day they'd had as he took a seat. Doug approached him then. The younger man was hesitant, if not scared, of how he'd be received, but he took the seat beside his future father-in-law and sat with him in companionable silence for several silent minutes.

What happened in the woods was a big deal to Doug. Jed Bartlet had asked for his help in taking care of James. For once, Jed needed him. And he froze. He thought back to the moment James collapsed. It was like the world stopped. Jed and Jack dropped to the ground to tend to him. They spoke fast, in quick, short sentences that were inaudible to Doug's ears. Jack jumped to his feet and took off with lightning-fast speed to call an ambulance. But Doug just stood there, still in the same spot he was in when it first happened, his eyes fixated on Jed, barely tuned in to the words he kept repeating.

"Doug, hand me my backpack," Jed had asked. Doug didn't move. "DOUG!" Still nothing. "DOUG!"

With that shout, Doug felt a jolt. "Huh?"

"My backpack! I need my backpack!"

It was a hiking bag with water, snacks, and the all-important first aid kit. Doug grabbed it, feeling like an idiot for having to be told. He took out an aspirin and handed it to James.

"Chew one of these," he said.

"NO!" Jed snatched it away. "That's for a heart attack!"

"But if he's having a stroke, won't it break up the clot just as well?"

"Ok, but what if it's an aneurysm? What if he's bleeding right now? You're going to make the whole thing worse!"

Jed hadn't meant to sound so harsh. He was simply responding with a burst of adrenaline, remembering what he knew about strokes. Giving a blood-thinner to someone having a hemorrhagic stroke could have catastrophic consequences, he recalled. Until they got him to a hospital so doctors could scan his brain, all they could do was keep him comfortable. He took off his coat and laid it on top of James, anything to stop the shivering. Jed kept talking, prodding James for replies to keep him alert as Doug stared at them. Minutes passed, but they felt like hours. The sirens were soft at first, growing louder and louder as they approached; finally, they were close enough that the blaring sound pulled Doug from his trance.

Doug waited for Jack while Jed rode in the ambulance, nothing more spoken between them before he left. Awkward silence permeated the air, just like now in the waiting room. Doug was never comfortable with difficult conversations. He wasn't good at consoling people, at offering help or comfort, and he certainly wasn't good at explaining himself or the shortcomings of which he was painfully aware. Fortunately for him, Jed was an expert at reaching out to those who didn't know how.

"You're not supposed to give aspirin to someone having a stroke until you know the cause. Aspirin can be detrimental if the stroke isn't caused by a clot," Jed told him calmly. "I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just..."

"He's your father-in-law," Doug finished for him. "I get it."

It was a shame that he and Doug couldn't have that kind of relationship, Jed thought. Doug was about to become part of the family - literally speaking, he would be tied to him, just as he is to James - but the bond was just so different. James was a father to Jed - a man he'd come to respect and love like any son would. He'd always assumed that when his girls got married, he'd treat their husbands just as James had treated him. But now that he was being put to the test, he realized it wasn't so easy, especially in Doug's case. What Jed felt for Doug wasn't affection. It was distrust. Could he get past it? Could he eventually reach a point where he could do more than just tolerate Doug? He didn't know, but if today taught him anything, it was that he had to try, if for nothing else, than for the sake of the rest of the family who were forced to witness to the trouble between them.

"What were you thinking about?" he asked after another moment of silence of passed.

"When?" Doug tried to play it off, pretending he didn't know what Jed was referring to.

"In the woods. You were obviously distracted. I'd like to think you weren't just daydreaming, so what was it you were thinking about?"

"I wasn't daydreaming. I was..." Jed remained quiet as he waited for Doug to go on. "It's not important."

"It was important enough to distract you."

"Nothing. My grandfather died of a heart attack a long time ago, okay? The way Mr. Barrington collapsed, it reminded me of him."

"Were you there when your grandfather collapsed?"

Doug nodded.

"We were camping in the White Mountains. Just me and him."

"How old were you?"

"Thirteen. It was just like what happened to Mr. Barrington. He went down and I didn't know what to do. I wanted to call out for my parents, for someone, but no one was there. It was just me."

A wave of understanding and sympathy came over Jed. He gently touched Doug's hand and said, "I'm sorry, Doug."

"He died alone. I left him there to go get help and when I came back, he was dead."

"That wasn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done to prevent his death."

"No, but if I stuck around a little longer, at least I would have been with him when he took his last breath. He wouldn't have had to die all alone. No one should have to die all alone."

"You were a kid, Doug. You were alone and you needed help. You needed an adult to take charge. You did nothing wrong."

Jed's reassurance couldn't take away the regret Doug felt, but it filled him with a sense of relief nonetheless. For some reason that even he couldn't explain, what Jed thought meant something to him. It was important that Jed, his harshest critic, could look him in the eye and approve of his actions that day. He nodded, then kept quiet as they both waited for more news.

* * *

><p>It was her faith in Jed that helped Abbey keep it together. Jed was a pro at handling emergencies; he never froze up, never let the stress get the best of him. During a crisis, his adrenaline shot up and he took charge, doing what had to be done and delegating what he couldn't do himself. There was no one she trusted more to care for her father in her absence. Still, she had to get there herself. She had to see him, examine him through the eyes of a doctor to know that he was going to recover.<p>

She pulled in to the parking lot and all four car doors swung open at the same time. Abbey leapt out of the driver's seat and led the way, Mary and Liz only a step behind with Ellie and Zoey hustling along to keep up as they blew through the double glass doors that opened near a nurse's station in the hospital's south wing.

Before Abbey even spotted him, Jed approached her.

"I just talked to the doctor," he said. "He's fine."

"I'll be the judge of that," she replied as she spun around to the sound of his voice. "Where is he?"

"They admitted him overnight. They said he had a 'spell.' "

"A spell?" Mary asked, confused about what that meant.

"That's what the doctor called it. He got dizzy and started feeling weak. He collapsed."

"And now?"

"He's back to his old self now. His CT scan looked normal, but they took him for some more tests. I saw him, Abbey. I talked to him. He's fine."

"Where's his room?" Abbey asked.

"Over here. Come on."

"What does it mean that he had a spell?" Mary addressed her daughter as they walked in-step.

"It means they don't have a definitive diagnosis yet. Spells can be any number of things - a seizure, a stroke, a TIA, syncope."

"Syncope?"

"Fainting." Abbey looked to Jed as they entered James's empty hospital room to wait for him. "Did he lose consciousness?"

"No," he answered. "He just started talking gibberish and then he collapsed. His mouth was drooping on the right side and there was weakness in his right arm and leg as well. I thought it was a stroke. But by the time we got to the hospital, it was over. His speech was normal. His strength had returned."

"He didn't complain of a headache before this happened?"

"No, never. It just happened all of a sudden."

"Fainting doesn't cause someone to talk gibberish and get weak," Mary feared. "It had to be a stroke."

"It's most likely a TIA, Mom." Abbey had mentally ruled out an aneurysm, but was still going through her differential diagnosis in her head.

"Is that serious?" Ellie asked, visibly scared.

"He's fine, sweetheart," Jed repeated again. "Listen, Uncle Jack is in the waiting room right by where you guys came in. Why don't you and Zoey go keep him company for a little bit?"

"But I wanna be here when Grandpa gets back!" Zoey whined.

"I'll come get you, okay? I promise."

"Okay," Ellie agreed reluctantly. "Come on, Zo."

Liz started to follow the younger girls out the door until Jed stopped her.

"Doug's in there too," he told her. "He's having a rough time. Leave your sisters with Uncle Jack and take him to the cafeteria."

He slipped her a rolled up twenty-dollar bill.

"Thanks." Liz gave him hug before she accepted the money and left.

"What's a TIA?" an overwhelmed Mary asked her daughter.

"It stands for transient ischemic attack. Think of it like a mini-stroke. No lasting affects, but it's a warning. He has to start taking better care of himself."

Having heard her from the hallway, James rolled his eyes as a tech rolled his bed into the room. "I see you wasted no time in slipping into doctor mode, Abigail."

In a flash, Mary was at his side, her concern barely disguised by the relief she felt at seeing his face. "What happened?"

"I don't know. I felt faint all of a sudden. I couldn't get my words out. My leg gave out on me and I collapsed."

"Look at me, Dad." Abbey raised his eyelids to stare into his eyes. Always the doctor, she reached for the ophthalmoscope on the wall and shined the light in his eye.

"What, no pen light tucked away in your pocket?" he groaned. "They already did all that."

"I don't care." She returned the ophthalmoscope and held up her index finger. "Follow my finger with your eyes." Satisfied, she tapped her index finger and thumb together and instructed him to do the same. "Now with your other hand."

"Is this over yet?" James complained.

"Not until I test your strength."

"Jed..." he pleaded.

Jed snickered. "It's easier to just do it than it is to fight her."

Abbey asked him to hold up his arms and push and pull against her, then did the same with his legs.

"All right, enough!" James said firmly. "I'm fine. The neurologist said so himself. It's no big deal."

"Abbey said this was a warning," Mary shared.

"Abbey exaggerates."

Abbey tilted her head and raised her brow at him. "Where were you just now?"

"They took me for an ultrasound of my neck, as if it was my neck that caused the light-headedness. Waste of time and money."

"They're checking your carotid arteries. If you have a blockage..."

"I don't."

"If you do..."

"My carotid arteries are great!"

"I'm sure they are," Jed agreed as he snuck up beside his wife and put an arm around her to calm her. "I say we wait for the results before having this conversation."

Abbey leaned into his frame, nodding. "I just worry, Dad."

She might have been a wife, mother, and surgeon, but when it came to her father, Abbey was daddy's little girl, afraid that she'd lose him.

"I don't think she's caught her breath since we got the call," Mary told him.

"Come here," James held out his hand for her. "Your whole life, have I ever lied to you?" Abbey shook her head. "I'm fine."

"Everyone keeps saying that!"

"That's because it's true."

"If it was true, you wouldn't be in the hospital."

"I'm not here by choice. Look, I had a moment of whatever it was, but it's over. I feel great. Better than great!"

"And I'm going to make sure that you continue to," Mary promised. "We're starting a health program, you and me. We're going to start exercising, like we used to. And no more of those bacon cheeseburger hoagies you've been inhaling every weekend."

"Am I going to have a round-the-clock nursemaid watching me like a hawk?"

"Don't give me any ideas."

Jed interjected then, "Did I hear something about a bacon cheeseburger hoagie?"

"Forget about it," Abbey admonished.

James laughed. "You married a good man, Abbey. He leapt into action the second I hit the ground and got me to the hospital. He saved my life."

"A bit of an exaggeration there," Jed scoffed.

"Not at all. You took charge and got me here, faster than I ever would have thought possible."

"You did, Jed," Mary agreed. "James was lucky that you were there."

"I really didn't do anything special."

"Yes, you did," Abbey countered. "You did exactly what needed to be done, just like you always do." She pressed a kiss onto his lips, then circled her arms around his waist. "I did marry a good man."

"Will you remember that when I ask for a bacon cheeseburger hoagie for dinner?"

"I will remember it. And that's why I'll say 'not a chance.' I want you alive and well forever," she said with another kiss.

* * *

><p>"It's pretty late. Are you sure you're okay driving all the way home? Abbey asked Jed later that evening as they strolled arm-in-arm out to the parking lot.<p>

"Yeah, I'm wide awake."

"I'll call you later."

"I'll be waiting," he promised. "I'll have to drop off Jack and Doug on the way, so it'll be a while before we get there. What about you? Are you going to be all right?"

"Yeah. Mom doesn't want to leave him. We'll drive back in the morning." Abbey opened the car door and smiled at the sight of Zoey sleeping with her head on Ellie's shoulder.

She kissed her girls goodbye, then turned to her husband once again.

"Be careful."

"I will."

Jed opened the driver's seat door, but before sliding in, he looked at her in that way he had when he did something wrong. A stare of guilt, Abbey called it.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just...well, I'm sorry about all this."

"Sorry? Jed, you have nothing to be sorry for."

He shut the door and pulled Abbey aside, away from the prying ears of the girls, Jack, and Doug.

"You don't know the whole story," he began. "I was snapping at Doug all day. Your dad intervened, he kept trying to get us to stop arguing. I can't help but the think the stress of the day contributed to what happened. I'm sorry, Abbey."

"You didn't cause this, Jed. I don't care what was going on. The stress couldn't have helped, but it would have happened whether you and Doug were fighting or not. Besides, I prefer to look at this as a blessing in disguise."

"A blessing?"

"A TIA is a wake-up call. No lasting affects like in a real stroke, but the same amount of fear and what I've found with most patients is that fear is the best motivator to change unhealthy behavior."

"This isn't just any patient. It's your father."

"I know. And I keep imagining what would have happened if this had been a real stroke...or even a heart attack. We could have lost him, Jed." Her eyes teared up at the thought.

Jed wrapped her up in his arms. "We didn't, and we won't if I have anything to say about it."

Abbey cocked her brow. "Oh really? You're going to hold him accountable?"

"You bet!" He said as he pulled away just long enough to give her a quick kiss and start toward the car again. "He's my dad too."

He slipped into the driver's seat.

"I love you."

"I love you more."

"Drive safely. And don't fight with Doug."

"I promise. Call me okay?"

"Okay."

Abbey waved as he drove away.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 7

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: The family met at the hospital after Abbey's father, James, collapsed from a near stroke; while waiting for Abbey and the girls, Jed and Doug had a heart-to-heart in the hospital waiting room

Summary: It's Thanksgiving at the Bartlet's!

Author's Note: There's a reference to Jack's past temper problems. If you want to read more about that, it was detailed in The Nobel Laureate, chapters 32 and 33

* * *

><p>Thanksgiving Day 1986<p>

Thanksgiving at the Bartlet's was a celebration. Jed's love of the holidays, coupled with Abbey's eagerness to recreate her childhood memories for her kids, insured that the day was filled with fun, laughter, and an epic feast that they shared in the company of family and friends. The girls even had their own traditions; every year, Elizabeth would haul canned goods and turkeys to the New Hampshire food bank and dedicate many of her November evenings to working the local soup kitchen, Ellie would gather supplies for the official farmhouse Christmas decoration kick-off, and Zoey always looked forward to lending her little hands as Abbey's kitchen helper.

The sun hadn't even risen on this Thanksgiving morning when Abbey crawled out of bed. She glanced over at her husband, sleeping so soundly beside her. She was tempted to wake him, but thought better of it. Instead, she tugged on the covers to pull them over his arms, then stood up to peek out the window at the night sky, so peaceful in the final minutes of darkness before dawn.

A quick shower later, she slipped into a pair of her favorite blue jeans and a white angora sweater. As she sat on the edge of the bed to tuck her feet into a pair of chocolate brown ankle boots, she felt something on her back, a masculine hand that manipulated her spine with a feather-light touch and sent a tingle down to her toes.

She unpinned her hair from the top of her head, where she'd tamed it for her shower, and let it spill onto her shoulders as she turned towards him.

"Good morning," she said with a kiss to his lips.

"What time is it?" he asked, still groggy. "The sun's not up yet."

"It's 5:30."

"I married a vampire."

"In a few hours, we're going to have a house full of guests," Abbey reminded him. "Someone has to prepare."

Jed pulled her closer. "Preparations can wait. Something else needs your attention."

He raised his brow and grinned, drawing a chuckle out of his wife.

"Jed," Abbey giggled as he kept her from squirming away. "There's so much to do."

"You're telling me!" He rolled her onto her back and climbed on top of her.

"We don't have time."

"We'll make time."

"Tonight."

"Now." Jed unbuttoned her jeans.

Pinned under him, Abbey raised her head to meet his lips. "I promise it'll be better tonight."

"You really want to wait until tonight?" His hand slipped inside her pants and under her panties.

"Mmm," she moaned with another kiss that ended with a gasp when he touched her at her core.

"You sure?"

"Mm hm." Abbey kicked at the mattress, sending her boots flying off her feet.

"Really?" Jed smiled mischievously as she arched her back, encouraging him to continue.

"Maybe...just a...quickie," she said, breathless.

Jed yanked her jeans and panties down her legs and threw them across the room. Abbey's hands wrapped around his neck and she gently pulled him toward her, holding him tight as he moved on top of her. Husband and wife buried themselves in each others arms and settled into that familiar rhythm they knew so well.

* * *

><p>Their hearts still racing from their morning tryst, Jed headed to the shower as Abbey cleaned up, then headed downstairs to start breakfast. She heard the pitter-patter of feet coming from the kitchen and peeked in to spy Zoey standing at the counter. It shouldn't have surprised her that her youngest daughter was up before she was. Zoey was known as the early riser in the family, the one who hated going to bed and also hated sleeping late because she never wanted to miss anything. She wore her Punky Brewster pajamas and a pair of pink slippers as she teetered on the tips of her toes, trying to reach a canister of sugar.<p>

"What are you doing, my little stress bug?"

Startled, Zoey spun around. "You said I could make cranberry sauce."

"Zoey, it's 6 a.m. We'll make the cranberry sauce later."

"What can we do now?"

"We can cook breakfast. Go wash up and you can help me."

"Blueberry pancakes?"

"Of course!"

The six-year-old scurried off as fast as her little feet would take her, leaving Abbey to start the coffee, beaming about the day to come.

* * *

><p>Fresh from his shower, Jed changed into a pair of faded jeans and a Dartmouth sweatshirt, then flew down the stairs and turned toward his study. It was hard to resist the lure of sizzling bacon in the kitchen, but he had papers to sign and fax to his Washington office before sitting down to enjoy Abbey's homecooked breakfast and the Macy's parade with the girls. He rushed into the study, closing the door behind him without realizing there was a visitor snapping at his heels the moment he turned the corner.<p>

Elizabeth paused for a moment before she knocked. She had a favor to ask and working up the nerve proved to be more difficult than she thought. Now that she and her father were back on good terms and the undercurrent of tension between them had finally started to lift, the last thing she wanted to do was rock the boat and add yet another layer of turmoil to the mix. She'd gone over her speech a thousand times. She even talked herself out of asking. But when all was said and done, she decided to take a leap of faith and trust her instincts.

She took a breath, then knocked and opened the door.

Jed looked up to see his eldest daughter approach. "Tell Mom I'll be there in two minutes."

"Mom didn't send me," Liz replied.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, I just wanted to talk."

"Give me a few minutes and we can talk about anything you like."

"Okay."

Jed continued flipping his papers, but was distracted by Liz standing over him, waiting expectantly for him to finish. "Lizzie?"

"What?"

"I can't work with you hovering over me."

"Sorry." She took a seat on the chair across from his desk.

It was a futile effort. Jed looked up at her and down at his papers a couple of times before he finally tossed his pen down.

"What's up?"

"Finish what you were doing."

"I can't."

"I'm not hovering."

"It's too late. Now I'm distracted."

"Sorry. I guess I'm just anxious."

"About what? What's going on?" he asked, scared of the answer he'd receive.

"I have a question for you."

"Ask it."

"Maybe I should wait until you're not so busy."

"Elizabeth..."

"I just want you to be in a good mood when I ask." She started toward the door.

"Hang on!" he demanded before she could get away. He grabbed her and spun her around to face him. "In the past few months, you've told me that you dropped out of school, got pregnant, and became engaged to a man I can't stand. The fact that you're NOW scoping out my mood before you tell me something concerns me a great deal. You're not leaving until you say what you came to say."

What could she possibly have to share that's worse than everything else she'd told him, he nervously wondered. Liz wasn't the only one anxious now.

"Fine." She had to bite the bullet. "I'd like to ask a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"Mom said you were looking to hire someone in your district office to work in constituent services."

"As a caseworker, that's right," he confirmed with a raised brow. Was she about to ask him to hire Doug?

"I have someone in mind," she said.

"No." Jed shook his head without hearing another word.

"Dad."

"I can't. He's not the least bit qualified. He's never worked in politics. He doesn't even follow it."

"He?" Liz questioned. "Dad, I wasn't asking for Doug."

"You weren't?"

"No. I wanted to ask if you'd consider hiring me?"

"You?" Jed was not only relieved, but happy. One of the highlights of last summer was working with Liz, showing her the ropes and teaching her about the day-to-day operations on his campaign. He was overjoyed that she'd want to continue working with him.

"Yeah," she confirmed. "With the baby coming, I need to get a job and I really liked working for you. I mean, I was just an intern, but I liked what I was doing, the people I was working with. I'd like to continue...if you'll let me."

"Lizzie, I'm thrilled that you want to work with me..."

"But?"

A hesitant tone in his voice, Jed explained, "But I'm looking for a full-time person, someone I can count on night and day."

"You can count on me. I swear, I'll give it my all. 100%, just the way you raised me. Please, Dad. I won't let you down."

"I know you won't."

"Then what is it? I'm not qualified?" She sensed his reluctance to level with her. "I thought it was an entry level position."

"It is...for someone with a college degree."

"You need a college degree to answer mail?"

"It's not just answering mail, sweetheart. I have to rely on whoever gets this job to understand the political structure, to know how to respond to constituents who'll be bitching about whatever's going on their life."

"I can do that. I can act as a mediator and promote your agenda at the same time. I have a lifetime of experience watching you. No one knows your agenda better than I do."

"It's not just about my agenda. Say someone calls to complain that his uncle's immigration status has been held up because of bureaucratic red tape and he wants YOU to find a solution. What would you do?"

"I'd explain that it's a process and there's nothing we can do to hurry it along, then thank them for their call," she said with diminishing confidence. She knew that was the wrong answer and Jed's look only confirmed it. "Okay, maybe I'm not an expert at it, but I can learn. You always said I was a quick learner."

"You are. I have no doubt that you can learn what you need to, but unfortunately, I don't have time to teach you. In a few weeks, I'll be back in Washington. I need someone who can hit the ground running here in Manchester, someone who has the diplomacy to work with the voters, to help them get what they need and avert any potential problems at the same time. It's a skill, sweetheart, not something you learn overnight. You have to first learn how government works before you can attempt to solve the problems within it."

Liz feigned a smile in an attempt hide her disappointment. "I understand."

She started to leave, a look of defeat dulling her eyes.

"Hang on a second," Jed called out to her. What he hated more than anything was disappointing his loved ones. It was especially hard with Liz after everything that happened this year. Her life was a mess and regardless of the fact that it was of her own doing, he regretted not being able to offer her a break, a ray of hope that would convince her that eventually, everything would be okay.

"I don't meet the requirements, Dad. I get it. The last thing I want is to take a job that I'm destined to fail at, just like school."

"Stop right there." He stood in front of the door. "There is nothing that you're destined to fail at, Elizabeth. Failure shouldn't even be part of your vocabulary. The thing with school, we all know what went wrong there. You didn't try." He lifted her chin to look her in the eye. "You know I'm right."

"I guess I could have tried harder," she confessed, giving up the charade that she couldn't cut it at Wellesley and admitting her failure was due to lack of effort.

"You shouldn't have bailed, that's for damn sure." Before she could protest, he added, "I only say that because if I give you a shot, I need to know you're not going to bail on me."

Liz stared at him, confused. "But you said I wasn't qualified."

"You're not qualified for that job. I'm talking about a different one. I need someone to help Mrs. Landingham around the office."

"Answering phones, inventory, stuff like that?"

"Yeah, and in doing so, maybe you'll pick up some of the things you need to know for the future - the real politics. I'll teach you when I can."

"You will?"

"Of course I will. But I need to know that I can count on you. I can't have you quit on me out of the blue."

"I won't quit, I swear."

Jed nodded, indicating he trusted her not to bail. "Then the job's yours."

Her face lit up. "REALLY!?"

"Before you get too excited there are a couple of conditions."

"Like what?"

"Although it's not the job you want, I still need you to give it your all. I need you there early in the morning and some days will be longer than others. You'll have to stay."

"Fair enough."

"You may be bored at times. It's not campaign season and although it's true, we're always running, your job won't require any strategic planning or debate prep, the things you're good at."

"You think I'm good at strategy and debate prep?" Liz was delighted to hear that Jed thought she had talent.

"You are and I have no doubt that you'll get better. But for right now, if you want to help out, I need you in this role."

"You got it."

"Mrs. Landingham's in charge. She knows the job, she knows what needs to be done, so what she says goes. I don't want you going off on your own and doing things without her approval. Everything goes through her."

"Of course."

Jed took a breath. So far, so good.

"Finally, Doug can't come by to hang out whenever he wants. You'll get a lunch break. If he needs to see you, he can do it then. Otherwise, I need you focused on your work. Fair?"

"Fair," she agreed.

"Good. You can start..."

"Wait," Liz interjected. "I have a condition too."

"You do?" Jed wasn't sure he wanted to hear this.

"I know you don't like Doug and it's going to take time to get used to us getting married. Just don't take it out on me at the office, okay? If you have a problem with me or something I do that's not related to work, talk to me at home. Don't yell at me in front of everyone."

Neither of them had forgotten the fight they had over Doug at the campaign office last summer. Jed had kicked him out and in his anger, he'd screamed at Liz, embarrassing her more than he realized.

"That's a deal," he told her, his sincerity shining through his eyes as he reached out his hand to her.

When Liz accepted the handshake, he pulled her into a hug.

"That was easy," she said.

"When you're right, you're right."

Liz smiled as she broke the hug. "So, would I be pushing my luck if I asked for the same salary you get?"

"Yes!" Jed growled. "You'll take the salary I give you."

"What about vacation time?"

"You're going to need maternity leave soon. Consider that your vacation time."

"I'm pretty sure that's not right."

"Well, I'd tell you to read up on labor law, but it's pretty complicated and you, my dear, don't even have a college degree."

He immediately regretted that, worried that the subject was still too raw for him to tease her. But to his relief, Liz laughed.

"Why am I agreeing to work for you again?"

"My folksy charm?"

"Somehow, I don't think that's it."

"Well then, I'm lost."

Liz stared at him, the man she'd adored all her life. He was her role model, her mentor, someone she knew would always stand beside her, even if no one else did. In that one precious moment in his study that day, she'd forgotten about Doug. She'd forgotten about her pregnancy. She'd forgotten about Wellesley. All the things that caused the rift between them were suddenly in the past. He'd forgiven her, it seemed, and whether it was a temporary reprieve or a new beginning, she didn't care. For now, she was grateful for the peace.

Leaning in to kiss him on the cheek, she said, "Thanks, Daddy."

* * *

><p>"Why did you tell Liz I'm looking to hire someone in my district office?" Jed asked Abbey as they washed dishes together after breakfast.<p>

"Because you are and because she needs a job."

"I really wish you hadn't intervened."

"You know she'd do a good job, Jed. She's been following you around since she was a baby. She knows how to deal with voters."

"Yeah, but she's not qualified."

Abbey shrugged. "It's PR, answering phones, writing letters."

"And contacting federal agencies, securing veterans' benefits, mediating immigration issues, Medicare. How is Liz going to do all that?"

"You said it was constituent services."

"Casework is part of constituent services. I'm looking for a problem-solver, a diplomat. Someone who has the education and experience to represent my office to federal agencies."

"I didn't realize," she said. "Can't you find something else for her to do? You said you wanted to hire another assistant to help Mrs. Landingham."

"I do."

"Then..."

"I hired her. It's done."

"Then why are we having this conversation?"

"Because I hadn't decided yet that I was going to, but she put me on the spot. She was so disappointed when I turned her down for the other job, I had to make a snap decision."

"Why did you have doubts about hiring her?"

"I just did."

"Why? All she'll be doing is following Mrs. Landingham's direction."

"Yeah."

"Then why..."

"Because I'm afraid she'll never go back to school. There, I said."

"Jed."

"Call me an overbearing father, Abbey, but I want my daughter to get a college education. If she works for me, she won't understand the realities of the real world, of how hard it can be to make it without a degree."

"Honey, if you're waiting for Liz to suddenly change her mind about Wellesley, you're in for more heartbreak. She's not going to school, Jed. Not now anyway. We both have to accept that."

"I hate watching her struggle when I know she'd be so much happier if she was back in school. She'd get her confidence back, prove to herself that she could do it. It would turn things around for her."

"She has to figure that out for herself. You can't solve all her problems," Abbey closed the gap between them. "But I love that you want to."

She kissed him on the mouth.

"Dad..." Liz interrupted then. "Another make-out session in the kitchen. Are we going to have to install a fold-up bed in the pantry?"

"We're not making out, Miss Nosybody. It was a kiss. I'm allowed to kiss my wife whenever I want."

Jed was used to the eye rolls Liz threw their way as a high school teen embarrassed at the slightest romantic overture between him and Abbey, but things were different these days. Whether it was that she was engaged now or simply that she had grown up, she no longer ran away, shrieking when she caught them together. It was all about the snarky replies now. It was more fun, especially when it elicited such exasperation.

Somewhat amused and shaking her head, she said, "Uncle Jack is here."

That meant the annual Bartlet Thanksgiving football game was about to start.

"Game time! Get your sisters!" Jed ordered.

"Aunt Millie just got here too."

"Great! Send her in," Abbey said. "And Kellie too, before they start the yearly guilt trip to coax us into joining in."

Jed frowned at his wife. "Wouldn't kill you. One of these days, I'm going to drag you out there and make you play."

"And who would cook the meal?" Abbey scoffed.

"Men CAN cook, you know."

Millie joined in then, "Uh oh, not another role reversal/anti-sexism debate."

"Back me up here, Millie," Jed asked. "You ladies join us in a game of football and allow me and the guys to take care of dinner."

"Not this year, Jethro," Abbey refused. "My father just had a TIA. The last thing he needs is a meal drenched in butter and salt."

"You assume I can't cook a healthy meal?"

"Not can't; won't."

"I cooked the stuffing two years ago and people still rave about it!"

"Sure they do, Dad," Liz chuckled.

"Hey, smartass, you wanna get fired before your first day on the job?"

"Go start the game, Jed." Abbey grabbed her husband's arm to lead him toward the kitchen exit. "Liz, please send Kellie in here before they start in on her."

"Aunt Kellie's not here," Liz told her mother.

"What do you mean she's not here?"

"Uncle Jack came alone."

"She must be on her way," Jed guessed.

"I don't think she's coming."

"Of course she is. It's Thanksgiving. Why wouldn't she come?"

"I dunno," Liz shrugged. "Uncle Jack just said she wasn't coming"

Curious and concerned, Jed left the kitchen and found Jack in the living room, stripping out of his coat.

"Hey, where's your better half?" he asked his brother.

"She can't make it."

"No Brad either?"

"He wanted to stay home with his mother."

"What's going on?"

"Kellie's...she's sick," Jack said unconvincingly.

"She'd have to be pretty sick to miss the Bartlet family Thanksgiving feast." Jed was skeptical. "Maybe Abbey should check on her."

"It's not serious."

"It's serious enough for her to miss this."

"Thanksgiving isn't a big deal to everyone, Jed. Just because it's the highlight of your year doesn't mean it's the highlight of hers." Jack sighed. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just grouchy today."

Jed allowed for a short pause before he asked, "What was the fight about?" Jack's bow of the head confirmed his suspicion. "It's no big deal, Jack. All couples fight, even on the holidays. One Thanksgiving, Abbey was on call and that didn't sit well with me. She finally got so sick of my grumbling, she let me have it the second she got home. It blew over, like they all do."

"This isn't like that. This is more serious."

"What did you do?"

Another sigh. "It's always me, isn't it?"

It was a fair assumption on Jed's part, given Jack's past problems with his temper. Still, he amended his question. "All right. What happened?"

"She cheated on me, that's what happened. My wife slept with another man."

And that admission rendered Jed speechless.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Abbey cleared off counter space so Millie could set down the apple pies she had made. In the past, the Bartlet kitchen had been swarming with people by this time on Thanksgiving Day, but thanks to Kellie's mysterious absence, Abbey's parents being delayed, and her sister Kate spending Thanksgiving with her in-laws, it all came down to Abbey and Millie. Abbey didn't mind. She enjoyed spending quality time with her old friend and the privacy gave her a chance to open a discussion she'd been waiting to have.<p>

"I haven't heard a Chloe update in a while."

"Chloe's great," Millie said. "This new school was exactly what she needed. She's like my old Chlo-bird again."

It had been a year since Millie confided in Abbey about her daughter Chloe's struggles. Chloe had fallen in with the wrong crowd, Millie had said, and she'd been stuck in what seemed like a never-ending cycle of drug tests and counseling, trying to get through to the troubled teenager. She felt helpless and pleaded for guidance from Abbey, even asking Liz to talk to Chloe as a big sister would. In the intervening months, Millie pulled Chloe out of her public middle school and put her in a private Catholic school, where she'd be surrounded by kids whose free time was spent in youth club and church activities. Chloe fought it tooth and nail, but eventually, she came to accept and even like her new school. Things began to quiet down between mother and daughter and Millie was elated that Chloe had started down a more productive path.

Unable to relate at the time, Abbey had a different perspective now. Ellie never tried drugs and never got into the same trouble Chloe did, but it was exceedingly clear how girls like Ellie and Chloe, who want so desperately to belong, can be vulnerable to peer pressure. Liz was different. She was outgoing and independent, someone who took charge in the classroom. She had the confidence to stand on her own instead of falling victim to someone else's prodding. Ellie, on the other hand, just wanted to fit in. She was shy and quiet, sweet and trusting. And those very qualities were the ones that made her a target for others.

As if on cue, the two girls came bounding into the kitchen then.

Ellie approached her mother at the stove. "Mom, guess what? Chloe's school has a rowing team.

"Oh really?" Abbey looked over at Chloe. "Are you trying out, sweetheart?"

"I already did and I made it," Chloe replied. "We're training now."

"Sounds like fun."

"AND," Ellie went on. "They have a math team, a scuba club, an environmental club. They have everything!"

"Ah, but do they have a ski club?" Abbey teased, referring to Ellie's latest passion.

"They do!" Ellie assured her. "It's a great school!"

"I'm sure it is."

"Can I go?"

That was the last thing Abbey expected. "What?"

"Can I go to Chloe's school?"

"Ellie, where did that come from?"

"Please?"

"Sweetheart, you can't change schools."

"Why not? It'll be good for me! They have so many activities and strong science and math classes. It's a prep school so I'll be ready for college. And it's Catholic so I'll be doing Catholic things. What more could you want?"

"Aunt Abbey, it's a really good school," Chloe chimed in.

"I'm sure it is, but Ellie already has a school right here in Manchester. I can't enroll her in a school in Boston."

"It's not that far. And when you can't take her, she can stay at our house and my mom will take us." Chloe addressed Millie. "Right, Mom?"

"I would have no problem with Ellie staying over, but Chloe, this is between Abbey and Ellie. I think we should stay out of it."

"Mom, please?" Ellie begged. "Chloe really wants me to go."

Abbey felt cornered. "We'll talk about it later."

"Please don't say no."

"I'm not saying no, but Ellie, you just sprung this on me and you're asking me to make a major decision I'm not prepared to make right now. I want to talk to your father first."

To say that Abbey was confused was an understatement. This was Ellie, her shy little girl who hated meeting new people. It was hard enough getting her ready to start junior high, far away from the friends she'd made in elementary school. Now, only months into the academic year, she wanted to change schools again? She was two years younger and one grade behind Chloe; it wasn't like they'd have the same classes. So what had happened to make Ellie so eager to attend Chloe's school, Abbey wondered.

"You're going to say no, I know it," Ellie grumbled.

"I'll hear you out. Just not now, okay?"

"Don't bother. I already have my answer."

Abbey was unimpressed with that reaction. "Hey. I said we'll talk later. Enough with the attitude."

A disappointed Ellie zipped her lip and stalked out of the kitchen, Chloe right behind her.

* * *

><p>Jack Bartlet never dreamed his marriage would end like this. He thought he'd be married to Kellie forever and assumed that if they someday separated, it would be because of something he did. He'd made quite a few mistakes in his life, after all, the most serious being just after he lost his father. That grief triggered an emotional tail spin. He became withdrawn and angry, a short-tempered man who could no longer handle the role of disciplinarian to a rambunctious son who frequently broke the rules. He lost control and struck Brad during an argument, a blow-up that was the result of the conflict he felt inside himself. The memories that John's death unearthed served to torment him as he wrestled with the hatred he felt for the older man.<p>

Kellie had given him an ultimatum when they were in Sweden for Jed's Nobel Prize ceremony - get help to deal with his anger or she'd leave him. She wouldn't allow her son to be raised the way John Bartlet had raised his boys. Brad deserved better, she'd said, and Jack agreed. He felt so distant from her then. Little did he know that while he dealt with that distance through therapy, she'd found comfort in the arms of her colleague.

"Where is this guy now?" Jed asked him, his heart aching for the anguish his brother was feeling.

"Who knows?" Jack answered. "Last I heard, he was in Ohio. She claims she didn't keep in touch with him."

"You don't believe her?"

"Honesty isn't exactly her strong suit," he barked.

"Maybe, but she told you about the affair..."

"Four years after the fact."

Jack didn't care that it was just one time. He didn't care that she was so consumed by regret that she quit her job and convinced him that they should move back to New Hampshire. All that mattered was that for a few hours one night, another man had taken his place. He couldn't deal with it. His ego was bruised, his pride wounded. Hurt and anger raged inside him. He could barely hide it, especially here in the farmhouse, surrounded by pictures of Jed and Abbey. There was one in particular he was drawn to. It was taken in Stockholm, Jed in his tuxedo facing her and Abbey in a midnight blue ballgown staring into his eyes with her lips curved into a warm smile that exuded love and pride.

It was ironic that while one Bartlet marriage flourished in Sweden, another fell apart. It was the turning point for Jack and Kellie. All four events - the ultimatum, the counseling, the one-night-stand, and the move to New Hampshire - stemmed from the terrible fight they had during that trip. It changed everything, he now realized, and no matter what happened next, it could never be the way it once was.

"Why did she tell you now?" Jed asked him.

"I don't know," Jack mumbled before taking a long pause. "I need to go."

"Don't."

"I need to."

"Stay for dinner," Jed insisted.

"I can't."

"I don't think you should go home right now. You're too angry."

"You're afraid I'm going to lose it, do something I'm going to regret."

"The thought occurred to me."

"I'm not like that anymore, Jed. I can control my temper."

"Still..."

"I've never laid a hand on Kellie and I don't intend to start now. I'd never hurt her." Jack looked down, a few guilt-ridden tears in his eyes. "And I'm ashamed that I ever laid a hand on Brad. I made a vow four years ago that it would never happen again."

"I know, but you're not thinking clearly right now."

"I'm thinking clearly. I just have to go. I'll call you tomorrow."

Jed followed him out the door in hopes of stopping him, but Jack quickly jumped in his car and drove off, leaving Jed to watch helplessly and pray that the stress of the situation wouldn't be more than he could handle.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: On Thanksgiving day, Jack admits to Jed that Kellie slept with another man; Ellie wanted to attend her friend Chloe's private school in Boston

Summary: Ellie's problems at school escalate and Jed and Abbey learn exactly what's been going on; Jed opens up and shares a painful part of his history with Ellie

Author's note: It's been so long. Miss you guys! Hope you like this!

* * *

><p>Fresh from his shower, Jed wrapped a towel around his waist and opened the steamy bathroom door to find Abbey right outside, tempting him as she bent over to arrange the clothes she folded and packed in her suitcase. In 10 hours, she would be leaving for her trip to Chicago to present a proposal to a convention of her peers at the AMA's annual conference. He wished he could go with her, the two of them on a weekend getaway in a suite at a five-star hotel. They'd dine on chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne while they tangled in the sheets in between her boring AMA meetings. Sadly, work commitments and the girls' school schedule wouldn't allow it. This was one of those times that he had to be a responsible adult and hold down the fort as Abbey flew solo.<p>

But that didn't mean they couldn't have a little fun before she left.

Jed tiptoed behind her, his hands prepared to cup her rear until she began to move. He grabbed her hips and yanked her back into his arms, her back to his front.

"Jed!" Abbey laughed, feigning a struggle to squirm away. "You're going to get me all wet."

He whispered in her ear, "That would be a damn shame."

"I have to pack."

"I'm going to miss waking up next to you."

She turned to face him as he loosened his grip. "I'll be gone a few days, that's it."

"I still don't like it."

"There's still time for you to change your mind and come with me. My mom can watch the girls."

"Don't tease me."

"I wouldn't dare. My meetings are during the day. We'd have all the nights." She raised a brow, flirting, as she turned to run her hands across his wet, bare chest. "The nights are the best, after all."

"As tempting as that is, I can't." He dropped a kiss to her lips, then stepped back to dry himself off. "I need to get my office in order and besides, Jack needs me."

"How's he doing?"

"About as well as any man who just found out his wife had an affair."

"A one-night-stand."

"Is there a difference?"

Before Abbey could respond, they heard the shriek of their eldest daughter.

"MOM!"

Jed turned to the doorway to see Liz strolling in. "You're five feet away. Must you yell?"

"Someone's cranky today," Liz returned. "Meow."

Abbey chuckled. "Don't mind him. He's upset about starting his own coffee tomorrow. What's wrong?"

"Breakfast is ready, but Ellie won't get out of bed."

"Again?"

"Stomach ache."

"As usual. I don't know what's gotten into her." Abbey sighed as she abandoned her suitcase and started toward Ellie's room.

"Take it easy on her," Jed advised.

"I just don't understand when school became such a horrible place." Abbey knocked on her middle daughter's bedroom door, then let herself in. "Ellie, you have to get up."

"I don't feel well," Ellie complained.

"What's wrong." Abbey sat on her bed and put her hand to her daughter's forehead, skeptical already. Ellie had feigned a sore throat last week to get out of going to school.

"My stomach."

"Point to where it hurts."

"All over," Ellie told her.

Abbey pressed on the left side of her belly and watched for Ellie's reaction. Nothing. She then pressed on the right and Ellie squirmed. "There?" When Ellie nodded, Abbey pushed again. "Tell me if it hurts more when I press down or when I let go."

"When you let go."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

Abbey suspected she was faking. Ellie was never a good liar. She watched her daughter's face carefully and pressed on her belly again. "That hurts?"

"Yeah." Ellie refused to look her in the eye.

"Do you feel like you might throw up?"

"Yeah," she said, then asked, "What do you think it is?"

"I don't know what it is. What you're describing could be benign, but there are some things we'd have to rule out to be sure. Things like appendicitis, which is pretty serious. Do you know what that is?"

"I think so."

"Do you know how it's treated?" Ellie didn't answer. "Surgery."

"It is?"

Abbey sat down on her bed. "Sweetheart, if you're sick, I need to know. But if you're not sick, if you just don't want to go to school, tell me now so we can avoid a trip to the ER." No response. Abbey cupped her chin. "Ellie? Should I take you to the hospital?"

Ellie shook her head as a tear fell down her cheek. She couldn't continue the ruse. "No."

Abbey wiped the tear. "Have you been reading my medical books?"

"No," the 12-year-old was quick to deny it. Then, more subdued, she said, "Not really."

"You read just enough to know the symptoms of appendicitis, didn't you? Ellie, why are you doing this?"

"I don't want to go to school."

"Why?"

"You know why. I don't have any friends."

"I don't believe that."

"It's true."

"What about the girls in ski club? You begged us to let you join so that you could be around people who share your hobbies and interests."

"I was wrong."

"How were you wrong? What happened?" Silence. "Ellie, I'm asking you a question. Please answer me."

Another shrug. "I don't have an answer."

"I want to help you. I really do."

"You can't help me."

"I've always been able to in the past."

"This is different."

Ellie wanted so badly to open her mouth and tell her mother all her secrets, all that things she'd been keeping inside her for so many weeks. She wished she could confide in her, share insight into her days as the odd-girl-out at school. She'd been teased and bullied by a trio of snobby upperclassmen who befriended her for her intellect only to turn on her when the friendship came crumbling to an end. But she was embarrassed, and the truth was, part of her blamed Abbey for what she was going through. Abbey had forbidden her from talking to Lacy, Celia, and Nicole. They took the rejection as a personal insult and life at school had been hell ever since.

"I'm worried about you," Abbey told her. "You've always been shy, but you've never been so disinterested in everything around you. What changed?"

"I don't know." Once again, Ellie refused eye contact.

"Are you depressed?" Abbey continued prodding, desperate to get through to her daughter. "Is it your classes? Are they too challenging? Or maybe they're too easy? Are you bored? Is it your teachers?"

"I already told you what the problem is like a hundred times. I don't have friends!" She rolled over, turning her back on her mother as she mumbled, "Thanks to you."

"What?" Abbey walked to the other side so she could see her daughter's face. "What do you mean thanks to me?"

"If you wouldn't try to control my life, I'd be fine right now."

"Is that what this is about? You're acting this way because you're still mad about those troublemakers you can't hang out with anymore?"

"You ruined my life, Mom."

"Wow." Abbey was shocked that she was still holding on to that grudge. "You know, Ellie, I thought you had the maturity to accept my decision and move on. If you're still throwing a tantrum..."

"I'm not throwing a tantrum. You asked me a question and I answered."

"No, you sulked. And I don't know when you got it in your head that it's okay to talk to me this way, but it's not. I'm still your mother."

"I know."

"Then show me some respect."

"I didn't do anything wrong."

"What do you call faking being sick to stay home from school?"

"Like no one's ever done that before."

"I don't tolerate lying, Ellie. I never have." Abbey rose to her feet, took a breath, then calmly replied, "We'll talk about this later. Right now I want you to get out of bed, get dressed, eat breakfast, and go to school."

"No," Ellie whispered, clearly uncomfortable with being so defiant.

"Ellie, I've had enough. You've been trying patience for weeks. I'm done. No more negotiation, no more compromise. I want you out of bed right now."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll dress you myself, drive you to school, and walk you to your first class!" Abbey warned her. "It's your choice."

Abbey stood in front of her daughter, her arms folded in front of her as she waited for Ellie to shove the covers aside and climb out of bed. Once she did, Abbey walked out and closed the door behind her, visibly bothered by the exchange. It wasn't like Ellie to behave this way. She was angry and not just in a benign childhood way. It was a bitter anger, an anger expressed in defiance and rebellion.

Her mind working a mile a minute, Abbey barged down the hall to the master bedroom.

"Gray tie or blue tie?" Jed asked, oblivious to what had just happened with Ellie until he glanced up and read the concern in her eyes. "What's wrong? She's not really sick, is she?"

"She's not sick."

"Then why do you look worried?"

"Because something is wrong and she won't tell me what it is. She's behaving so out of character, Jed."

"What did she do?"

"She's just not herself. Ellie's the one who always did what we asked of her, who never talked back to us, the one who stayed up at night with a guilty conscience if she so much as told a little white lie. This morning, you should have heard her. It was like I was talking to Lizzie at age 16."

"Hey!" Liz objected.

"That bad?" Jed asked.

"I'm still in the room," Liz reminded them.

"I'm sorry, baby doll, but do you remember how you were your junior year of high school?" Abbey reminded her, "I couldn't do anything right in your eyes. Every time I nagged you about cleaning your room or I disapproved of your wardrobe, I was the devil."

"Yeah, I was pretty rotten," Liz agreed. "But Ellie's not like that. She does what you tell her."

"Until now, which is exactly my point."

"Do you want me to talk to her?"

"That's a great idea!" Jed interjected. Ellie adored her big sister. He had no doubt that if anyone could get through to her, it was Liz.

"I think it might help," Abbey said. "But there's another part to this." She glanced over at her husband. "There's something going on at that school, something she's not telling us."

"You think she's being picked on?"

"Yeah, I do. But there's more and I don't know what it is." She addressed Liz. "Has she confided in you?"

"Not at all."

"Well, if there's something going on, then maybe it's time we paid a visit to the school." Jed grabbed his suit jacket and draped it over his arm. "I'll re-arrange my schedule. We'll stop by this afternoon."

"I'll call and get an appointment with her guidance counselor."

"And if that doesn't help, we'll talk to the principal. We'll figure it out one way or another."

He leaned in and gave his wife another kiss, reassurance that they'd get to the bottom of whatever was upsetting Ellie and things would soon return to normal.

* * *

><p>It was another miserable day at Manchester Junior High. Ellie navigated the crowded hallways between classes just as she always did, by herself. It was such a different environment than elementary school, where everyone seemed to be friends with everyone else. Sure, she had friends she was closer to and classmates she occasionally sparred with, but the arguments were different back then and one incident wouldn't brand someone an outsider forever.<p>

The social pressure was much more intense in junior high. It was the start of cliques - the jocks, the cheerleaders, the thespians, the band geeks, the loners, the preps, the mean girls. And then there was Ellie. She didn't belong to any of them. She wasn't even sure she wanted to. Her strategy had been to keep her head down and stay out of the way. It was lonely, but it worked for her. At least, it did before Lacy, Celia, and Nicole recruited her into their group. They were her best friends, until they turned on her and proved just how vicious teenage girls can be to one another.

On this day, Ellie tried to ignore them, but Nicole had parked herself right in front of her locker. As Ellie reached around her, Nicole slapped her wrist.

"No one likes a narc," she hissed.

"I'm not a narc," Ellie returned.

"No? You didn't tell Mr. Billings where we were when we ditched typing?"

"No. I don't care where you go."

Nicole looked her in the eye and Ellie stared right back. She'd had enough. The insults, the ridicule. The whispers and laughing in the halls, loud enough so she could hear. The French fries thrown at her in the cafeteria. She didn't deserve it and she was tired of not standing up for herself. Her eyes locked into Nicole's, determined not to back down. She'd stand her ground, she decided, with the hope that if she defended herself, Nicole and her posse would finally move on to tormenting someone else.

Little did she know that moving on wasn't a part of Nicole's vocabulary. She was a bully in the worst sense of the word and today, she was in a particularly bad mood. Skipping her typing class had earned her 20 lashes of her stepfather's belt and she blamed the person who squealed on her for every single one. That person, she thought, was Ellie, and she was bound and determined to get her revenge. Ellie was out of her league.

Nicole stared at her, a deep animosity bubbling from down deep, triggered and inflamed by the knowledge that Ellie was everything she wasn't. Ellie was smart, probably the smartest girl Nicole had ever met. She was thin and pretty, with blue-green eyes, long brown lashes, and blonde springy curls that framed her peaches-and-cream complexion. Ellie was well-liked and respected by their teachers. She was the girl they always left in charge when they left the room, the one always called on to write math problems on the board to teach her peers or to answer a question no one else could get right, the one who could do no wrong, the so-called golden girl of her class. And the most crushing difference - Ellie had parents who truly loved her. Nicole had met the Bartlets at Ellie's birthday party. She was taken by how kind and loving they were, the way they doted on their daughter and celebrated her existence. They were proud of her just for being born. Nicole had never known that kind of love. Indeed, Jed and Abbey were the kind of parents she fantasized about but could never have. Days later, when she found out that Abbey Bartlet disapproved of her friendship with Ellie, she felt rejected. That rejection served as the biggest insult to her already fragile and abused ego and it fueled her resentment of Ellie.

Jealousy raged inside her and she suddenly closed the space between them and knocked her books out of her hand.

It scared Ellie, that smoldering glare in Nicole's eyes that she had never seen before. She looked at her attacker with confusion and vulnerability as a group of students gathered around to see the fight. Unremorseful about her actions, Nicole backhanded her so hard that Ellie tasted the blood on her lip. She then shoved her into a bank of lockers, Ellie's shoulder crashing against the locks from the force of the assault. The crowd hollered, some cheering for Ellie to fight back. The chaos that followed caught the attention of administrators roaming the halls.

Nicole pulled back, about to take a swing when Lacy grabbed her fist.

"Nicole, stop!" Lacy shouted, pulling her friend off Ellie. "She said she didn't do it!"

"And you believe her?"

"Yes!"

"Mr. Stanley's coming," Celia warned. "We better get out of here."

Nicole leaned in and whispered to Ellie. "You ever snitch again," she threatened, "I'll mess you up so bad, your own mother won't recognize you."

The crowd thinned as students scrambled to avoid the wrath of Mr. Stanley. Ellie gathered her books off the floor, grabbed her backpack, kept her head down, and hustled toward the double doors down the hall and out the building. Her legs powered by adrenaline, she sprinted as fast as she could, cutting through the parking lot, the grass, the football field, and a nearby park. She never looked back. It was December in New Hampshire and she didn't care that she didn't have a coat. The cold stung her face as tears stung her eyes. She never wiped them away. She never lost speed, not even for a second to look both ways before crossing the street. She never stopped to catch her breath, never even thought about resting. She just kept running.

It took a long time to reach Pruder Street. It felt like forever, but she didn't care about the exhaustion. She used shortcuts to avoid traffic and when she finally approached the winding country road that led to the farm, she allowed the tears to fall faster, a sense of relief washing over her as she barged up the steps of the porch and into the front door.

When she saw Abbey there, she unapologetically threw her books on the ground.

Through rapid, shallow breaths, a flushed face, and red eyes, she said, "I'm NEVER going back to school and I don't care what you say!"

And with that declaration, she continued her sprint up the stairs and to her room.

"Ellie!" Abbey ran after her, but she was too late. Ellie had slammed the door and locked it behind her. "Ellie, open the door!" Abbey turned the knob and banged repeatedly. "Eleanor, open this door right now!"

Abbey darted into her own room to grab a hair pin off her vanity. She returned and manipulated the lock to let herself in, not prepared for the sight before her. Ellie was face-down on her pillow, her petite body shaking as she sobbed louder and harder than Abbey had ever heard her. Tears in her own eyes for whatever was causing her daughter's pain, Abbey crawled into bed beside her. She put her arms around Ellie and tried to turn her over, but Ellie resisted with all her might, unintentionally allowing Abbey to catch glimpse of her bruised shoulder.

"Ellie?" Abbey forced her over and that's when she saw the trickle of dried blood on the corner of her lip. "Did someone hit you? Who did this?"

Ellie didn't answer. She just cried as Abbey held her, angry at herself for failing to protect her.

* * *

><p>"Two of the girls involved were given detention and the one who actually assaulted her was suspended."<p>

Jed and Abbey sat in the principal's office, stunned by what they were told. A suspension was their answer? Ellie had never so much as teased anyone. She was an innocent victim who was physically assaulted by a bully who had been emotionally torturing her for weeks and all school policy allowed for was a suspension. It was far from an acceptable solution.

"Suspended?" Abbey questioned. "She'll be back in school in two days. Why was she not arrested? Why was she not expelled?"

"Simply put, it's a public school. The law doesn't allow us to kick a kid out for one fight. Suspension is school policy. Should there be another incident, we'll talk expulsion."

"My daughter was attacked, in front of witnesses. Now she's supposed to wait around for her attacker to do it again before you do anything about it?"

Jed added, "Ellie is terrified. She's scared to set foot on this campus."

"I'm sorry to hear that. We can have someone walk her to her classes if you'd like."

"Why don't you get someone to walk Nicole to her classes, preferably in handcuffs?" Abbey snapped. "If my husband or I had done to her what this girl did, we would have been in jail and Ellie would be removed from our home for her own protection. But it happens at school with one of her peers and no one can do anything about it?"

"We ARE doing something about it. Nicole has been suspended. It will stay on her record. And when she's permitted to return to school, we'll do our best to keep the two girls away from each other. Look, I understand where you're coming from, but my hands are tied. I have to follow procedure here and procedure dictates that Nicole still has a right to an education."

"What about Ellie's right to learn in peace? This girl has been bullying her for weeks."

"We don't know the details of that. The way I understand it, Ellie never reported it to anyone, not even her teachers. Did she tell you she's been bullied?"

"No," Abbey admitted hesitantly. "But her behavior at home has changed and that's the only explanation."

"Not necessarily. Look, middle school girls argue. They're territorial. They have fights over boyfriends, even over best friends. It doesn't mean that someone is being bullied. Her behavior at home might have changed because she had a fight with her girlfriends."

"That's not it. Ellie doesn't have many friends, that's the problem. Nicole and her clique of heathens have made it impossible for her to have friends."

"Well, until we can talk to her about it and get Nicole's side of the story, I'm not prepared to accuse anyone of bullying. And realize that even if it is true, I'm afraid I can't punish a student for being mean to Ellie. There's no law against bullying in schools in New Hampshire."

"Not yet," Jed replied sternly.

The older man was reminded who he was talking to. This wasn't just any parent. It was Congressman Bartlet. He had the power, and now the motivation, to change the laws.

"Until there is," he told the Bartlets, "there's nothing I can do. The bottom line is, kids fight. It happens. Girls, especially at this age, are very sensitive and prone to disagreements."

"This wasn't just a disagreement," Abbey insisted.

"That's how it started. It escalated into something it never should have, but we can't give up on a child who hasn't learned not to take out her frustrations physically. All we can do is teach them the right way to resolve conflict. I will personally work with Nicole to make sure she understands the seriousness of what she did and why it can never happen again."

"That's great, it really is," Jed replied. "But in the meantime, who's going to heal the emotional scars that Ellie's going to take away from this?"

He knew all too well about those scars. He still lived with them, thanks to his upbringing. Outraged by what happened to his little girl, Jed vowed that no matter what it took, he wouldn't allow Ellie to be abused ever again; and over time, he'd see to it that this incident was nothing more than a distant memory, a blip in her life that would soon be overshadowed by happier times.

* * *

><p>It was a quiet drive back to the farm. The Bartlets silently reflected on their meeting with Ellie's principal, each questioning their decision to send their girls to public school. It sounded like a good idea in theory. Many years ago, when they researched their options, they found that Manchester public schools offered a high-quality, well-rounded education that rivaled the most elite private schools in the area. And knowing their daughters would have a privileged upbringing at home, the idea of sending them to a school with kids from different backgrounds and economic classes also appealed to them. They wanted the girls to have the experience, to learn from an early age that money doesn't define a person and that good people come from all walks of life.<p>

But was that the best decision, they now wondered.

New England was home to several world-renowned private and prepatory schools. Some were boarding schools, which were out of the question, but many had a day school option perfect for a girl like Ellie. They'd challenge her, feed her curiosity, and inspire her to work toward her goals with like-minded and driven peers. Maybe if she attended one, she'd learn to love school again. Maybe she'd get her confidence back. Maybe she'd have the peace of mind of knowing that people would stand up for her; that she'd be protected and safe as she walked the halls.

They were lost in their own thoughts until Jed finally spoke up.

"What do you want to do?"

Abbey looked over at him from the passenger's seat. "She really likes Chloe's new school. That's where she wants to go."

"It's in Boston," Jed reminded her.

"Which is inconvenient, but not impossible."

"I'm going back to Washington soon. How are you going to shuttle her back and forth to Boston and still be in the OR at the crack of dawn?"

"I'll make it work. I'll come in to work later if I have to or maybe..." she paused for a beat. "Millie offered to let her stay over during the week."

"And we'd get her on weekends? Abbey, do you know what you're saying?!"

"I know, it's stupid." Abbey realized how foolish it was, but she was desperate. "I just wish...it's what she wants, Jed, and right now, I feel like..."

"Giving her whatever she wants," Jed finished. "I get that, honey, but Boston isn't practical. If we send her to private school, then we'll send her to one she likes just as much as the one Chloe attends. But WE'LL take her and WE'LL pick her up every day. The important thing is that she won't be exposed to people like Nicole."

Abbey nodded. "You're right."

He pulled in to their driveway, parked the car, and turned to his wife.

"Hey." He took her hand. "You couldn't have prevented this, you know? Ellie didn't tell you what was going on. She didn't tell any of us."

"I know." Abbey lifted their clasped hands and pressed a kiss to the back of his. "But thank you for saying it."

They stepped out of the car and approached the house together. Hand-in-hand, husband and wife ascended the stairs, headed to their middle daughter's room. When they reached the top landing, Jed stopped suddenly.

"Do you mind if I talk to her alone for a minute?"

If it was anyone else, Abbey might have objected, wanting so badly to hug and comfort her daughter herself. But it was Jed, the man who loved Ellie more than life itself. She agreed without a moment's hesitation.

"Meet me in the kitchen afterwards?"

He nodded, then knocked on Ellie's door before letting himself in.

"Hey, princess," he said as he walked around the bed to see her face peeking out from under the covers. "I heard you had a rough day." Ellie looked away. "I'm not here to bug you. I just wanted to let you know that Mom and I spoke to your principal."

"I don't want to go back," she said quietly.

"You don't have to."

"Mom says I do."

"Not anymore. We talked about it and we decided that you should change schools, if you want to."

"Really?"

"Really," Jed confirmed while holding out his hand to help Ellie sit up, then taking a seat in the chair beside her bed. "Where you go to school should be your decision."

"But we're zoned for MJH."

"Under the circumstances, I think we can get a waiver. There are other middle schools in the Manchester School District. You could transfer or we could pick a private school. Wherever you want to go, we'll consider it."

"You will?"

"Of course we will. We just want you to feel safe at school, Ellie." Jed sat down beside her. "If you had told us what was going on, we could have had this conversation much sooner."

"I didn't want you to know."

"Because you were embarrassed?" Ellie shrugged. "You did nothing wrong. None of this is your fault."

"I should have never been friends with them. I was nice to them because I wanted them to like me and all they did was..."

"Learn what buttons to push." She nodded. "They're bullies, Ellie. That's what bullies do. They break through all your defense mechanisms, learn who you are, and then use it against you. They make you feel alone, unworthy of their love or friendship, and chip away at your self esteem until you think it's you that's the problem. You think you deserve it, that there must be something wrong with you, with your looks or your personality or your intelligence. If there wasn't, they'd all like you, right?"

Ellie was shocked by her father's insight. "How do you..."

"You think you're the only one who's ever been bullied?" Jed took a minute to gather his thoughts before he went on. He hadn't planned to share this with Ellie, but he realized she needed to hear it. "I had a Nicole in my life too."

"When?"

"When I was growing up, even into early adulthood."

"Who was it?"

"It doesn't matter. The point is that he didn't like me and I don't really know why. For the longest time, I blamed myself. I thought it had to be me. It was something that I did, maybe it was everything I did. Maybe I wasn't smart enough or maybe it was that I was too smart. Was I not nice enough, was I not humble enough? Did I look funny? Did I dress inappropriately? His criticism made me doubt everything about myself."

"Like me."

"Don't let it, Ellie. I know it's hard to ignore the comments. It's even harder to ignore the physical attacks." It broke his heart to touch his daughter's swollen lip. "She had no right to hit you."

Ellie looked down again. "Did your ever bully hit you?"

Jed nodded.

"He did." Their eyes locked and Jed saw the sympathy shining in the girl's eyes. "And just like you, I was embarrassed. I didn't want anyone to know because I thought it showed weakness in me."

"That's how I feel."

"It doesn't. I promise you, it doesn't. All it does is show that not everyone is as kind and as gentle as you are."

"What did you do to get over it?"

"To be honest, I don't think I ever did, at least not until recently. My situation was a little different than yours. It wasn't about changing schools or avoiding my bully. I had to see him every day."

"Why?"

"It's complicated. The point is, I lived with all the doubts it triggered in me. It wasn't until I was an adult that I started to understand that it wasn't me; it was him."

"You felt this way until you were an adult?"

"Yes, I did. That's why I'm telling you, because I don't want you to. You're an amazing kid, Ellie. You're smart, you're funny, you're sweet, you're responsible, you have impeccable manners, you genuinely care about people. You're so likable. And I'm not saying all this as your dad. Even if I wasn't your father, even if you were just a friend of Zoey's or Lizzie's and I knew anything at all about you, I'd look at you and say 'that little girl is a parent's dream come true.' "

"I wish everyone saw me that way."

"The people who matter do." Jed leaned forward in his chair. "Look at me. If anyone mistreats you ever again, I want to know about it. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"If you ever want to talk about anything, I'm here."

"I know."

"And if you want to vent about Nicole or about what happened today, I'm here for that too."

He reached his hand out to her and Ellie grabbed it. She wrapped her arms around her father. Jed returned the embrace, holding her tight in his arms, wanting to protect her from all the insecurities he had. He knew how it felt to have someone tear you down and rob you of your self-esteem. He would never tell her the true identity of his bully, for fear of destroying the fantasy Ellie had about her grandfather. Little did he know that his bright little girl had already figured it out. She had listened to his words, taken them to heart. She put the pieces together and remembered how every conversation about her grandfather evoked something in Jed, how he reacted to the mere mention of him when he was alive. She remembered how much her mother hated him and how Lizzie once told her that they had a complicated relationship, that they didn't get along because their grandfather was always judging Jed. She remembered overhearing an argument between father and son on the day of her oral presentation in Girl Scouts, the drama and anger it caused, and how her grandfather had stayed away for such a long time afterwards. Ellie now realized why - he was the bully. It all made sense now and silently, she seethed with anger at John Bartlet for ever hurting her father.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: When Ellie was assaulted by bullies, Jed and Abbey made the decision to let her change schools; Jed opened up to Ellie about a painful part of his childhood; Jack struggled after finding out his wife cheated on it (Chapter 7); Abbey found an ally in a colleague who didn't realize she was married (Chapter 19 of The Candidate's Daughter)

Summary: Jed and Elizabeth debate baby names while Abbey and Ellie enjoy some mother/daughter time in Chicago; Abbey presents her proposal to the AMA; Jack continues to struggle with Kellie's infidelity; Jed and Abbey reunite when she returns from Chicago, although it isn't the reunion Jed had originally envisioned

Rating: NC-17

* * *

><p>It was an early December morning at the Bartlet farmhouse. Elizabeth caught a chill as she rose out of bed to close her window. She pulled aside her sheer gauzy curtains and peeked out at the pasture, disappointed by the bleak and depressing view. It was that dreary time of year between autumn and winter, that short period after the vibrant leaves had fallen off the trees and been raked off the property, exposing the dead grass beneath them and leaving barren branches to sway in the wind.<p>

The gray skies threatened to release a shower of snow flurries, the first of the year. A few flurries weren't going to make a difference, she thought. She hoped for a stronger storm, one big enough to blanket the rolling hills in time for Christmas and put everyone in the holiday spirit. But it wasn't going to happen today. Today, it was obvious, there would be no sunshine and no break from the frigid New Hampshire air.

Disappointed, Liz slipped her feet into her slippers, grabbed her robe and the new baby-name book she'd bought the night before, then opened her bedroom door. That's when it hit her. A smile on her face, she followed the scent of breakfast pastries all the way down the stairs and to the kitchen, where she found Jed and Zoey gleefully sharing a father-daughter moment splitting a warm freshly baked blueberry muffin.

"Good morning." Jed held a muffin out to her and Liz rushed to claim it.

"Thanks!"

"Daddy knew you'd wake up if you smelled muffins!" Zoey informed her with a giggle. She was still in her PJs and wore the pretty pink slippers that Liz had bought her for her birthday last week.

"You made these just to get me out of bed?"

"Works better than dynamite."

It was an old trick Jed had been using for years. Back when Abbey was in residency, it was his job to get the girls out of bed and off to school. Zoey was his early bird, often the first one up, running around and getting herself into trouble while waiting for her sisters. Ellie was the night owl, wide awake well past her bedtime and still asleep well after noon, if they let her. Waking her up was often a challenge, especially compared to Lizzie who always responded to the aroma of her favorite breakfast foods being cooked downstairs.

He handed her a glass and a carton of orange juice, then took note of the book she set down on the counter to accept them.

"Baby names," he observed, picking it up. "Do you have any picked out?"

"A few." Liz took the book away from him. "I wanted to go over them with Mom when she gets back."

"Why not me?" Abbey was in Chicago for the AMA's annual convention, but Jed was used to being Mr. Mom in her absence. He dished out another muffin and grabbed his mug of steaming hot coffee.

"You?" Liz poured herself a glass of orange juice.

"Yes, me. You know, the man who just made you blueberry muffins. I remember a time when I was your first stop when you had a decision to make, even if Mom was around."

"Sorry, Dad. It's nothing personal. It's just...you like to make fun of my ideas."

"You do have flaky ideas," he teased as he tossed a blueberry into his mouth. "I've been making fun of you all your life, just like you have me. When did it become a problem?"

"Now," she said. "You're not going to like any of my names and I don't want you making fun of them."

Jed stared at her with narrow eyes. "What obscene names are you considering?"

"None of your business."

Zoey climbed up on her knees and rested her elbows on the table, her attention solely on her big sister. "I wanna hear, Lizzie!"

"I'll tell you later, Zo."

"Hey! You won't tell me, but you'll tell Zoey?" Jed prodded again. "Come on, this is good, I can feel it. Tell me. You'll make my day."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

"Come on, Lizzie B." Jed grabbed her arm and swung it back and forth like he used to when she was a little girl. "Spill it. You know you want to."

"I'm going to hate myself for this." Liz sighed. "We like the name Guinevere."

"Guinevere." Jed thought it over. "It wouldn't have been my first choice, but it's not bad."

"The way Doug wants to spell it, it is."

"How does he want to spell it?" He was almost afraid to ask.

"G,w,e,n,a,v,e,e,r."

Jed took the deepest breath possible as he tried to bite his tongue. It was futile.

"What's the hell's wrong with him? It's a classic name. You don't change the spelling of classic names."

"I thought you said you wouldn't make fun."

"I'm not making fun. I'm protecting my granddaughter's right not to have a name based on a theme of illiteracy."

"I knew you couldn't do it." Liz was somewhat amused. "You just failed my test."

"Test? You're pulling my leg?"

"Yes, I was testing you."

"You can't test me with an absurd scenario. Come on, give me a real name."

"All right. Emilia."

"As in Earhart?"

"With an E, like in Shakespeare's Othello."

"Ah. I like Shakespearean names."

"I also have Miranda and Regan on my list."

"Regan? As in the spoiled, ungrateful brat of a daughter in King Lear."

"And like the girl in The Exorcist!" Zoey added, excited about that choice.

Jed turned a stern eye to his youngest daughter. "When did you watch The Exorcist?"

"I didn't. Ellie told me."

"When did Ellie watch The Exorcist?"

Liz snapped her fingers to get her father's attention. "Dad, focus."

"I am focused. I think Regan is a crushing mistake."

"Why?"

"Forget the unfortunate King Lear reference. You know how people are going to pronounce it, right?"

"They're going to pronounce it like it should be pronounced - REE-gen, like regal."

"No, sweetheart, they're not going to say 'REE.' They're going to say 'RAY.' They're going to call her RAY-gen and I'm going to have to explain to all my voters why my granddaughter is named after a Republican president."

Liz rolled her eyes. "You don't care what voters think. You just don't like the name."

"I don't think you should name your little girl after an ungrateful, possessed brat who becomes a Hollywood actor-turned Republican president. Sue me."

Zoey giggled as the two sparred.

"This is why I wanted to run it by mom." Liz grabbed the last of her muffin. "You're impossible."

"I am not impossible," Jed defended himself. "Okay, maybe I was a little too critical. I could get used to Regan."

"Yeah, right."

"You must have other options."

"I do, but I'm not going to let you ruin them for me."

"I won't. Let me prove it and redeem myself here. Give me another one."

"Fine." Liz set out to challenge him. If he truly wasn't going to make fun, then she'd give him a name he was sure to hate. "Evan."

Jed nodded at that. "Evan is a fine name for a boy!"

"I was thinking about it for a girl."

Jed's face went blank. "Please don't do that to your child."

"See? You can't help yourself."

"With names like Evan, no, I'm afraid I can't. There are a billion acceptable names out there."

"Like what?"

"Boudica."

"Ew." Liz scrunched her nose at that.

"Ew yourself, young lady. She was a warrior queen of a Celtic tribe that led an uprising against the Roman Empire."

"So Xena basically?"

"For the history impaired, maybe. Who the hell is Xena?"

"I don't like it, Dad."

"She was the mother of Pope Linus."

"Still don't like it."

"Fine. You want ordinary, Deborah."

"Not my style."

"What is your style?"

"Priscilla."

"You want your daughter to be called Prissy on the bus stop?"

"All right, what about Daisy?"

Jed furrowed his brows. "Was Petunia already taken?"

"Why do I even bother?"

"Because it's fun." Jed grinned as he took a seat at the table. "We could use a little fun around here, don't you think?"

Liz was raised with a daily dose of some good old-fashioned father-daughter banter. She usually loved the back-and-forth with Jed and today was no different.

She grabbed her juice and joined them. "What's your problem with boys names on girls?"

"I like boys names for girls," Zoey told her.

"You do?" That was news to Jed. "You would have liked it if we had named you Zack instead of Zoey?"

"Anything's better than Zoey! YUCK!"

"Excuse me? Nothing about your name is 'yuck.' Your mother and I picked it out just for you."

"I don't like it. I wanna be named Juniper."

"And we're back to the flower theme."

"Dad?" Liz called out to him. "You're losing focus again. What's your issue with boys names on girls?"

"I don't have an issue with boys names on girls. I just think there are so many girls names that are beautiful on their own, that I don't understand why anyone would want to use a boy's name. Especially you."

"Why especially me?"

"You're the girliest girl I know, next to your mother. Would you have wanted to be named Evan?"

It took Liz less than a second to concede. "Good point."

"Thank you." Jed quickly claimed that victory. "Now then, shall we move on?"

"Can I be called Juniper from now on?" Zoey asked.

"No."

"Then I don't wanna play the baby name game anymore!" she huffed with her arms folded over her chest.

"You don't want to help name your little niece?" Liz suspected she'd come around when it was put in those terms.

"Oh yeah, she's gonna be my niece." Zoey beamed proudly. She and Ellie had discussed it before, but the thought of being an aunt hadn't yet sunk in. "Okay, I'll help!"

"Good, then you can tell Dad he's full of it when he rejects all my names."

"I wouldn't reject them if you gave me legitimate names."

"I already gave you five."

"Well, give me five more. We're bound to find one I like."

"Okay. Alyssa."

"Alyssa's nice."

"It is?"

"Yes, it is." He paused for a beat, but couldn't resist adding, "But I do prefer Alice."

"I figured you would." Liz shook her head. "Savannah."

Jed shrugged. "I prefer Hannah."

"Paige."

"I'm going to call her looseleaf..."

* * *

><p>A thousand miles away, Abbey opened the blinds in the bedroom window of her Chicago suite to see the sun rise over Lake Michigan. It was the third and final day of the AMA convention and she had already presented her proposal about limiting resident work hours. The debate it spurred took on a life of its own and in the end, she was outnumbered, her position sidelined by the voices of the majority. Today, there would be a vote and it was a foregone conclusion that she would lose by a landslide. She was disappointed, even disheartened, but she refused to be devastated. All the years of supporting Jed in politics had taught her that it wasn't always about winning; it was about getting your opinions heard and hoping that change would come eventually, even if it happened in excruciatingly small doses. So the AMA wasn't ready to adopt policy restricting work hours. At least she'd laid the groundwork, she'd shined a spotlight on the problem and suggested viable solutions. From here, she'd continue her fight and little by little, she'd ebb away at the opposition to challenge the status quo.<p>

In the meantime, she'd cheer herself up, she decided, and prepare to enjoy her last day in the Windy City in the company of one of her favorite people on the planet - Ellie. With a tray full of breakfast treats waiting, Abbey kneeled down beside her daughter's bed.

"Wake up, Goldilocks," she whispered in Ellie's ear as she stroked her pretty blonde curls. "Ellie..."

"Hmm?" Ellie stirred in bed.

"Come have breakfast with me. I ordered room service."

One blue eye opened while the other remained firmly shut. "French toast?"

"With strawberries and maple syrup." Abbey smiled at her.

Ellie tossed the covers aside, her grogginess improving at the sight of the two steamy slices of French toast, topped with fresh strawberries. She climbed out of bed and took the few short steps to the table, ready to soak her plate in syrup and devour her breakfast.

It was Jed's idea for Ellie to accompany Abbey to Chicago. A mini-vacation would do her some good, he said, especially after all the drama she put up with at school. And given the mother-daughter conflict the last few months, Abbey agreed that taking Ellie on this trip with her was just what the pair needed to recoup and start fresh. So far, it was a success. Abbey spent several hours a day in her meetings in the lobby of their hotel while Ellie camped out in their suite on the 14th floor. Their nights were spent exploring Chicago's busy streets and famed landmarks and, in the process, spending quality time together, laughing and talking like they used to.

"Today's meetings might run a little later than yesterday," Abbey warned her.

"That's okay. Good luck with the vote. I hope you win."

"Thanks, sweetheart. I should be back by 3 either way. Same rules as the past two days, okay? While I'm gone, I don't want you leaving the hotel. If you want anything, call room service. Charge it to the room."

"I promise. And I can have whatever I want, right?"

"Nice try. Stick with sandwiches, veggies, and fruit."

"By sandwiches, I'm sure you're including cheeseburgers and chili dogs."

"Eleanor." She raised her brow as she tore a soft and steamy croissant in two and handed half to her daughter. "I was thinking, if you're quick about it, we might have time to swing by that holiday festival downtown, do some light Christmas shopping before we head to the airport. I'll show you what I think you should get Zoey."

"Okay, as long as I get to show you what I think you should get me."

"Deal," Abbey laughed.

It felt so good to see Ellie in good spirits again. She had her sparkle back for the first time in months. The moment she learned that she could change schools and never again have to face the bullies who made her the target of their adolescent rage, her whole world changed. She was sleeping better, laughing more, she was even joking around with her sisters the way she used to. Life was good again and it was clear in everything she did.

Abbey watched her affectionately, grateful to finally have her Ellie back.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, life for Jack Bartlet had taken a very dark turn since Thanksgiving. His world collapsed around him when he learned that his wife had slept with her colleague years earlier. Kellie had confessed because of the guilt she carried around. She told him it happened only once, in a moment of weakness triggered by the problems in their marriage because of his anger problems. The very next day, she quit her job and pleaded with her husband to move the family back to New Hampshire. It would be a good move for them, she argued. They would be close to family and Brad would have cousins to grow up with.<p>

Ironically, it was only days later that Jed called, asking Jack to join his finance office as he transitioned from candidate to congressman. He'd asked Kellie at the time if she had anything to do with it, but when she claimed it was purely a coincidence, he believed her. Until now. Now, he doubted everything. Every word that came out of her mouth was met with skepticism. Everything she said, everything she did fueled suspicion.

Was it a conspiracy, he wondered. Had Jed known what Kellie did? Had he offered him the job on the campaign to get them out of Ohio and back to New Hampshire to help save their marriage? It was a possibility Jack was now considering.

As Jed walked into his district office that morning, Jack waited for him.

"Hey," Jed greeted him.

"We have to talk."

"That doesn't sound good."

Jack followed his brother to his office and closed the door behind them.

"I need to ask you something and I need you to be honest with me. Did you know about Kellie's infidelity?"

"What? How would I have known?"

"She didn't tell you?"

"Of course not. You think I would have kept something like that from you?"

"Yeah, if you thought it would destroy my marriage. God knows I wasn't your favorite person at that time. Maybe you thought if my marriage fell apart, it would make me an even bigger ass."

"I didn't know, Jack."

"You didn't talk it over with Kellie before you offered me the job on your finance team?"

"No."

"She didn't call you to ask you to do it?"

"I said no. She didn't contact me, I didn't contact her. I knew nothing about any of this." Jed's denial was strong and firm. "Okay?"

Jack bowed his head and waved his hand at his brother. "Yeah. Look, I'm sorry. I just don't know what to believe right now. I can't help but doubt everything."

"And everyone, apparently."

"If I can't trust my own wife, who can I trust?" he said sadly. "Imagine Abbey sleeping with another man. Imagine her kissing someone else, getting naked in front of him, crawling into bed with him, wrapping her legs around him, their bodies tangled around each other..."

Jed couldn't stand to think about that. He cut him off with a stern warning. "Get to the point!"

"You can't picture Abbey doing it, can you?"

"No, because Abbey would never do it."

"Exactly my point. Abbey wouldn't do it. My wife did. She did it and then she came back to me as if nothing ever happened. She laid down beside me every night and never once told me that she had been unfaithful. And I never suspected a thing."

"She did a good job of hiding it."

"I was naive. I should have known something wasn't right."

"It's easy to beat yourself up over it now, but the truth is, you didn't know because she didn't want you to. You're not prescient, Jack. You can't predict the betrayal of others and you can't see through what they cover up."

Once upon a time, Jed had a lot of respect and love for his sister-in-law, but he now saw her as the woman who hurt his brother. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen Jack in such despair. He was heartbroken. Jed's protective side emerged and all he wanted was to take away Jack's pain. He didn't understand how Kellie could have done this, how she could have betrayed her vows and kept this terrible secret for so long. And what troubled him even more was that she came clean now for reasons that he didn't even know. Her confession might have been cathartic, ridding herself of the guilt she'd carried since that night, but her four years of silence made the fallout so much worse.

He reached out his hand to Jack, offering his emotional support while quietly taking comfort in the stability of his own marriage.

* * *

><p>Two years had passed since Abbey first heard the name Libby Zion. She was the 18-year-old New York City girl who died hours after being admitted to the hospital. Her death was attributed, in part, to medical error, the result of overworked and exhausted residents who didn't catch a fatal drug interaction until it was too late. The case resonated with Abbey. After all, she was a mother with a daughter the same age that Libby Zion was when she died. Furthermore, she remembered her own residency. She was haunted by those long 40-hour shifts, where she was so sleep and food-deprived, she could barely think. It was a miracle she never made a similar mistake.<p>

The culture of medical education was brutal at times. Junior doctors routinely worked around the clock without complaint, for they knew their seniors had done it and they feared looking weak in their eyes. These were men and women who had completed high school, had put in four years of undergraduate education, then dedicated four more years of their lives to the rigors of medical school. They had earned their MDs and they still worried about looking weak if they dared to suggest it was dangerous to make life-and-death decisions without a wink of sleep in two days.

Unfair as it was, the measure of their talent was sometimes a reflection of their physical fortitude. Abbey wanted to change that. Now that she had graduated residency and fellowship, she finally had the power to do it and the Libby Zion case gave her the motivation to see it to the end.

Unfortunately, the end was the AMA meeting in Chicago. Alongside her colleague, Alex Foster, Abbey presented her resolution to revamp residency work hours and regulate the amount of time junior doctors spent in the hospital. They stood their ground, despite the rebuttal...and in the end, they lost. It was an expected loss, but it stung nonetheless.

As the proposal officially died in the House of Delegates, other issues were rushed to the forefront. Abbey grabbed her brown leather tote and walked out, Alex only steps behind her.

"Abbey, wait. We knew this was going to happen."

"It doesn't make it any easier."

"No, it doesn't." Alex caught up to her at the elevator.

"They've closed their minds to it."

"Yes, they have."

"How could they be so blind?"

"It's the old guard, Abbey. You and I both know half the stuff that happens in medical training, it's because the old guard relies on how they were trained. They don't want to change."

"Then it's our job to convince them."

"You're right, it is."

"We have to drill it in their heads, Alex. It's too important to just accept it and move on."

"I agree. We'll make a stronger proposal next year. We start now."

"Okay." His optimism brought a smile to her face. She brushed her hand against his arm. "Thank you."

"I'll buy you a drink?"

"I promised Ellie a quick shopping trip before we leave for the airport. You're welcome to join us."

"And intrude on a mother-daughter excursion? Not a chance. Besides, shopping's really not my thing. Tell you what, you go with Ellie and when you get back, I'll have three cups of hot chocolate waiting for our ride to the airport."

"She does love hot chocolate."

"What kid doesn't? I'll even add a few marshmallows," he leaned in toward her, "with Mom's permission of course."

His consideration of Ellie was sweet, Abbey thought. Had Jed been there, he would have been suspicious, but the possibility of ulterior motives hadn't even crossed Abbey's mind. Alex was a perfect gentleman and had acted as nothing more than a platonic friend since the moment he found out that she was married. Abbey aligned herself with him, the one attending in the hospital who felt as strongly as she did about the political controversies hovering over healthcare and medical training. He was her ally, her professional confidante; and so what if he once had romantic feelings for her? He'd given no indication that he harbored those feelings now and that was all that mattered.

At least to her.

* * *

><p>"Aurora."<p>

"As in borealis? The Northern Lights?"

"It's a name."

"A bad one."

The great name controversy continued as Jed and Liz drove home from work together later that evening. It often seemed that father and daughter were at their happiest when they had something to debate.

"We could call her Rory."

"Rory Bartlet." Jed said it aloud, pondering the flow.

"Westin," Liz corrected him.

He cringed. "Rory Westin. Will she come out of the womb with the 'kick me' sign already attached?"

"Dad!"

"Names are important, Elizabeth. Your mother and I agonized over yours."

"So I've heard." Liz stared out the window. "What about Regis?"

"For a girl?!"

"Aspen?"

"I hate place names."

"Sage?"

"What if she isn't? This is partly Doug's daughter, after all."

"Dad."

"I'm just saying, it's too much to live up to."

"That's awfully snarky coming from someone named Josiah."

"Don't be a smartass."

"I get it from my father," Liz quipped before sharing her next choice. "Snow?"

"Better hope she doesn't marry someone named White."

"Presley?"

"Only if you have a son named Elvis."

"Cricket."

"Thank God her last name won't be Bartlet."

"DAD!"

"You can yell at me all you want, Lizzie, but you understand that your taste is all over the place, right? This morning, it was Shakespeare; tonight, you want to call the poor kid Cricket or Regis or Aspen. You're scattered. Classic, contemporary, totally made up, and everything in between."

"I can't help it. This is the name she's going to have for the rest of her life. It'll be on her birth certificate, her social security card, her school ID, her driver's license. It'll be the name the teacher calls out on the first day of school for at least 12 years."

Jed gave her a quick sideways glance. "Twenty years. This girl's going to be a doctor!"

"Dad," Liz said with a roll of the eyes.

"For what it's worth, I think you were more on-the-ball this morning. You've always named all your baby dolls traditional, classic names - Margaret, Katherine, Victoria, remember?"

"You remember what I named my dolls?"

"I remember everything about you girls," he told her. "If you want my opinion on names, I've always been rather partial to Elizabeth."

"I can't name her Elizabeth."

"Why not? People name their children after themselves all the time and Elizabeth's a beautiful name."

"I just don't like the idea of using it for my daughter."

"Why?"

"Because it's my name."

"And?"

"And I always felt that if you name your child after someone, you're saying that you want that child to grow up to be just like that person."

"Well, I can understand why that would be a problem if you end up having a boy and want to name him Doug..." There was silence on Liz's end. Jed glanced over to find her staring at him. "What?"

"You nearly made it a full minute without a Doug insult." She shook her head.

"That's a record for me," he stated proudly.

The duo pulled in to the drive, parked and then exited the car.

* * *

><p>It might have been only a few days since Abbey and Ellie left for Chicago, but Jed couldn't wait to get them back home. He wasn't happy about the trip in the first place. He understood how important it was to Abbey to appear in person to advocate for her resolution on resident work hours, but he also wanted to savor every last minute of them being together as a family before he left for Washington again.<p>

That evening, he tucked Zoey into bed and asked Liz to stay with her as he left for the airport. He stopped along the way to buy a bouquet of flowers for Abbey and picked up a balloon for Ellie, then continued on in plenty of time to greet their flight. He parked the car and rushed to the terminal, grinning from ear to ear when he got his first glimpse of Ellie's little blonde curls bouncing as she enthusiastically interacted with the person beside her. But taking a few steps toward them, his smile disappeared.

Ellie was talking to someone Jed didn't recognize, a man who seemed so interested in what she said that his distraction caused him to nearly walk into a pole as they exited the terminal. Abbey was right behind them, laughing at the duo. She spotted Jed then and nudged Ellie. Whether it was a twinge of jealousy or confusion, it all disappeared the moment Jed saw his daughter's face light up at having seen him. She ran toward him with open arms and Jed picked her up in the air.

"I missed you, princess."

"I missed you too! Where are Lizzie and Zoey? I bought them souvenirs!"

"I'm sure they'll love them. You can give them to them in the morning." Jed set her down as Abbey approached. He looked his wife over from head to toe. Still the sexiest creature alive, he thought.

"I missed you too," Abbey said with a kiss.

"How was the flight?" he asked.

"A bit bumpy, but Alex engaged Ellie in a game of cards and she was fine after that." She then gestured to the man to the right. "Oh, sorry. You haven't met Alex yet, have you?"

"No, can't say that I have." Jed extended his hand. "Jed Bartlet."

"Alex Foster." He shook Jed's hand.

Abbey introduced him so casually, as if it was no big deal that Alex had been with her on the plane. Even worse, Jed realized that Alex had been with her in Chicago and he didn't even know. He felt uneasy about it. After all, Alex wasn't just any man. He was a colleague who admitted to having feelings for her. He even tried to kiss her before he realized she was married. Abbey had told him that it was a silly misunderstanding, a mistake that never happened again. She insisted that ever since that near-kiss, Alex had been a gentleman, respecting a platonic relationship with her. Jed accepted that. He trusted his wife and he believed in her. He had no qualms about them spending time together because Abbey was the most honest person he knew. So why hadn't she been completely honest, he now wondered. Why hadn't she told him that Alex would be taking this trip with her?

Abbey noted the instant change in her husband's mood. She studied him for several minutes, but waited for Alex to excuse himself before she addressed it.

"Is something wrong?" she asked. Jed simply shrugged. "Jed?"

"I'm a little surprised."

"By Alex? Why?"

"Why?"

"Honey, you knew he'd be going to Chicago."

"How would I know that?"

"Jed, we've been working on this proposal together for months. How could you not know he'd be with me when I publicly introduced it?"

It bothered him, the way she turned it around on him. Yes, maybe he should have realized that Alex would want to go with her, but the fact was that he didn't, and Abbey never bothered to tell him. He wondered then what else she wasn't telling him. It was a disturbing thought, one that gnawed at him all the way home.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, Jed locked up the house and took slow strides up the stairs to the master bedroom. He was dreading the conversation that was coming. He wished he could just avoid it, pretend that he wasn't hurt that his wife had flown halfway across the country with her colleague. He'd eventually get over it and move on anyway, he reasoned. Or would he? Could he? If it had been with anyone else, he wouldn't have cared. But it wasn't with anyone else. It was the one man who had feelings for her, the one man he hadn't met before tonight, and Abbey had been less than honest about it, At least in Jed's mind. Why hadn't she told him? Was it just an innocent oversight, as she claimed, or was there more to the story that he had yet to learn?<p>

Riddled with doubts, he walked into the bedroom to find a box of artisan chocolates on the dresser with a note written on Abbey's personal stationery beside them. He read the sweet words she had written, his heart softening at her declaration of love.

That was just the reaction Abbey wanted. She felt guilty about ambushing him at the airport and although she wasn't trying to deceive him, she regretted that she hadn't specifically informed him that Alex would be accompanying her to Chicago. She knew that Jed was the jealous type and with everything going on with Jack and Kellie, it should have occurred to her that he'd overreact, feeling misled instead of realizing that this had been nothing more than a misunderstanding.

He was angry and she had two choices - she could get angry back and they could fight it out or she could take the higher ground and remind him how much she loved him. She chose the latter.

She snuck up on him as he reached for his first chocolate and pressed her lips to his cheek from behind. She wrapped her arms around him and Jed turned to see her standing before him in nothing but her black lace bra and matching panties. He grabbed her by the waist and kissed her on the mouth. Hard. Abbey's heart raced as she unbuckled his belt. Jed pushed her hands away, then scooped her up in his arms and dropped her on their bed.

Those unsettling feelings about Alex still plagued his mind, but he tried like hell to cast them away and focus on his beautiful wife, the woman he loved more than anyone in the world. He wanted her tonight. He needed her. He needed the reassurance that her touch gave him, the confirmation of her fidelity, the affirmation that her heart belonged to him and him alone. And it wasn't just the emotional connection. He needed to know that he could still drive her wild with desire, that he could bring her the kind of pleasure that made her squirm and scream out his name from the innermost depths of her lungs.

He climbed on top of her, sinking his body into hers. He reached under her to unclasp her bra, his hands digging into her flesh all the way down her back. He hooked his fingers into her panties, yanked them down her legs, and tossed them across the room as he stared down at her, naked and as hungry for him as he was for her.

Abbey recognized that look in his eye. He didn't want to make love. He wanted to ravish her, pin her to the bed and bury himself so deeply inside of her that it took her breath away. He wanted to feel her arch her back and heave her breasts against his bare chest as the muscles of her feminine walls contract violently around him.

He intended to devour her, and Abbey reveled in it.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Jed and Elizabeth debated baby names while Abbey and Ellie enjoyed their time in Chicago; Abbey presented her proposal to the AMA; Jed realized that Abbey was in Chicago with Alex, something he didn't know before she left

Summary: Jed struggles with his feelings about Abbey and Alex and his anger toward his sister-in-law; Kellie asks for Jed's help; the girls get more than they bargained for when they go for a nighttime ride

* * *

><p>Jed awoke the next morning to the frigid breeze that rippled through the curtains of the master bedroom, reminding him that he forgot to close the window. He was on his side, his body pressed up against Abbey's and his arm draped over her torso. They'd fallen asleep like that. Soundly, in her case, cuddled up against him and wrapped in a cocoon of satin sheets and their heavy winter comforter. He wished he could say the same, but the truth was, he didn't get much sleep that night and it had nothing to do with the cold temperature outside.<p>

After 19 years of marriage, he thought he had a handle on his jealousy. Certain names got him riled up from time to time - names like Ron Ehrlich - but deep down, he wasn't a naturally paranoid man, nor was he the kind of husband who spied on his wife or tried to control her friendships with other men. He had too much faith in Abbey, in her integrity, her honesty, and her loyalty to allow constant distrust to poison their relationship. But when he found out that she had gone to Chicago with Alex, it threw him for a loop. That analytical mind of his was in overdrive on the way home from the airport, and despite their recreational activities when they got back to the farm, he was still haunted by a possibility that was completely foreign to him last week.

His mind had conjured up images that made him crazy, images of Abbey in Alex's bed, of the two of them frolicking in the streets of Chicago. He wanted to smack himself for it. How could he be thinking this? Infidelity wasn't a word he took lightly. It wasn't a word he ever thought he'd even consider in his own marriage, and he hadn't, until he learned of Jack's marital problems. It hit him to his core and affected him more than he initially realized. If last night was any indication, it had turned him into a suspicious husband, someone he didn't want to be. Someone he couldn't be. Abbey deserved better. She wasn't Kellie. Not even close. She had too much respect for herself, for him, and for their family to submit to another man's advances, and the fact that he doubted her, for even a moment, filled him with remorse.

He shook his head clear of those destructive thoughts. Part of him wanted to tell Abbey about them, just so she could confirm how ridiculous they were before she slapped him in the face for ever doubting her, but the other part of him wanted to forget about it all and never bring it up again.

He propped himself up on his elbow then to plant a kiss on Abbey's cheek. He then climbed out of bed, closed the window, and hit the shower.

Abbey stirred from her sleep shortly after. She scanned the room until she heard the water running. Smiling, she threw the covers aside and rose out of bed, still naked from their lovemaking and eager to surprise Jed by quietly slipping into the bathroom and stepping into the shower with him.

"Hey handsome."

"Hey yourself," he said as he eyed her sexy body up and down.

Abbey reached for her puffy mesh bath sponge, squeezed out the water and soaked it with body wash. She ran it along Jed's chest, her eyes following. "Last night was amazing."

"Yeah, I kind of wish we'd videotaped it."

She arched a brow at that. "Maybe we need an encore."

"Can't think of a better way to start the day!" He grabbed her by the waist and brought her in for a kiss under the water. The sponge fell to the ground.

"Hang on there, Romeo." Abbey placed her hands on his chest and donned a more serious expression now. "Are we okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"Last night. It was incredible, yes, but there was a reason for it."

Jed sighed to himself. Here it was. She could always read him like a book.

"I missed you. That was the reason," he said. But she stared at him, unconvinced. "What?"

"I'm talking about Alex. You were upset at the airport."

"And then we got home and I got over it."

"Not before you threw me on the bed and screwed me like a madman."

"Was I too rough?"

She smiled again, a reassuring smile this time. "No, you were just the right amount of rough."

Abbey had no concerns in that regard. Jed was always a considerate lover who read her cues and last night was no exception. She relished the feeling of him on top of her, his hot breath on her skin, his arms wrapped around her, pressing into her flesh as he held her tight against his chest. When she was ready to climax, his big, strong, masculine hands held her down at the waist as he thrust inside of her, sending jolts of pleasure throughout her body.

"I'm not complaining," she went on. "I had a good time."

"Then let's move on," Jed said, his fingertips gently sweeping her forehead to remove the strands of wet hair that had fallen around her eyes.

"You're not angry with me?"

"Do I look angry?"

"At the moment, you look randy."

"Go with that."

He tilted his head and kissed her again, quick to leave behind any discussion about the night before.

* * *

><p>Around the corner from the family room, where the girls often played, watched television, or entertained friends, was a room that Abbey considered her private oasis. The sunroom, with its crisp white walls, large windows, cream furniture and colorful throw pillows, was cozy and peaceful, a perfect retreat for a cold December morning like today. She grabbed a mug of hot, steamy coffee and headed there after breakfast, a legal pad in her hand and a bridal magazine tucked under her arm.<p>

She walked in to find Elizabeth reclining on the loveseat, her feet up on an ottoman with a red velour blanket draped over her lap as she jotted down her thoughts on a notepad. Planning a wedding was stressful no matter when was done, but planning one this quickly was taking its toll. It was important to Liz to be married before her baby was born and she preferred to do it before she got too big to fit into some of the more flattering wedding dresses. So, she and Abbey got to work on a winter wonderland wedding.

The location had already been chosen - Royal Mountain in a small, picturesque village in New Hampshire's White Mountains. It would be a January wedding, complete with gondola and carriage rides in the snow. But nothing else had been decided and the indecision was frustrating to Liz. She struggled with wedding dresses, caterers, even florists. And today, she had a new problem and was in desperate need of maternal intervention.

"I haven't picked my bridesmaids yet."

"It's a tough decision."

"I've kinda isolated myself from my friends," she confessed. "I was embarrassed, you know? Dropping out of school, getting pregnant. I didn't know what they'd think of me."

"Do you think they'd judge you?"

She shook her head. "Tori still calls here every so often."

"And you never talk to her," Abbey finished. "The great thing about friends is they'll still be around when you decide it's time to stop being ashamed of who you are. If they're real friends, that is."

"She is. I really think she is."

"Then I think you need to make a phone call."

"That's not the only thing bugging me."

"What else?"

"I had planned to ask Aunt Kellie to be a bridesmaid. I mean, before we found out about what she did."

"And now you're having second thoughts." It wasn't a question.

"Of course. I don't even know if I should invite her to the wedding, with Dad feeling the way he does and Uncle Jack being so heartbroken over it."

"Lizzie, you shouldn't make your decision based on how they feel. She broke her vows to Uncle Jack, not to you. To you, she's been a pretty good aunt, hasn't she? She was with you the night of your dad's debate when people found out you were pregnant. She stayed with you and helped you through everything. She's done that a few times over the years."

"Yeah."

"You have your own relationship with her, sweetheart, and it's not defined by the relationship she has with anyone else."

"It's just...she cheated on her husband. How can I ask her to stand up for me at my wedding?"

"Well then, don't ask her to stand up for you. Just invite her as a guest. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Will Uncle Jack be okay with it?"

"I'll make sure that he is."

"While you're at it, make sure Dad won't go ballistic on me either?"

"Done."

Sitting side by side, Liz rested her head on her mother's shoulder. "Why do people cheat?"

"I wish I knew, baby doll," Abbey said as she wrapped her arm around her daughter. "I don't understand it any more than you do."

Abbey attended one of the best medical schools in the world and trained at one of the most renowned hospitals. She was surrounded by dozens of brilliant, successful men over the years, many of whom had flirted with her until they realized she was not only married, she was passionately committed to her husband and family. She had never been tempted and even if she had been, she couldn't imagine a plausible scenario in which she would betray Jed. She respected her wedding vows and her marriage; more importantly, she respected Jed. She loved him too much to ever hurt him. Just thinking about him going through the heartbreak that Jack was feeling made her sick to her stomach. Like Liz, she, too, wondered how Kellie could have ever done this.

* * *

><p>If Abbey's private oasis was the sunroom, Jed's was the study. It, too, stood off the main floor of the Bartlet farmhouse. Abbey sometimes used it for completing charts, but it was really Jed's sanctuary, the place he often went to get some peace and quiet while reading briefing books or filing legislative paperwork. And on those lazy weekends when Abbey wasn't on call, she frequently joined him, lounging in the overstuffed chair or curling up on the leather couch to keep him company.<p>

On this particular Saturday afternoon, there was a more personal issue to tend to. Their enthusiastic bedroom romp the night before had done a number on Jed's back. He lay face-down on the rug, his back bare and eager for Abbey's massage. Her fingers dug into his flesh, her manipulation of the spasming muscles along his spine eliciting moans and groans from her husband.

"Right there," he directed her toward his low back, just above his waist. "Why is THAT the place that always hurts the worst?"

"You have a herniated disc, Jed. When you get carried away, it's going to flare up and your muscles are going to spasm."

"That was rhetorical, doc."

Abbey continued to knead the knots. "I spoke to Kellie today."

"You called her?"

"I wanted to get her side of the story."

"Her side of the story is that she slept with another man."

"Jed."

"What did she have to say?"

"That it happened one time, it was a terrible mistake, and she'll regret it as long as she lives."

"Good for her. Meanwhile, the damage is done. She destroyed her marriage."

"When did you become so judgmental?"

Jed rolled to his side. "I'm calling it as I see it. There was a time when you would have agreed with me. Is infidelity an acceptable thing now?"

"Don't get testy. I'm just saying that I don't think she should be tarred and feathered for one mistake. If Jack wants to pursue the divorce, that's his choice, and one that I don't necessarily disagree with..."

"But?"

"But by virtue of being his wife, she became a member of our family and I'm not ready to disown her because their marriage fell apart. She's a friend, Jed. She has been for years."

"Fine. Let her be your friend, I don't really care. I'm just saying..."

"That she hurt Jack and you're just as angry at her for that as he is. I get it."

It was no secret that Jed and Jack had their problems in the past. They grew up in a dysfunctional home with an overbearing father who they could never please. As adults, their lives diverged and they lived in parallel worlds, each content with the occasional phone call and requisite birthday wishes. But all that had changed in the last few years. Jack had watched over Abbey and the girls when Jed was away during his first term in congress. He'd worked as Jed's finance director during his campaign and been his biggest supporter through all the ups and downs of political life. As angry as he was at the time, Jed even had to admit that it meant something to him how Jack had been there for Liz when he found out she was pregnant, protecting her, giving her a shoulder to cry on, and nudging her to tell him and Abbey her secret.

Their bond was stronger than ever now and Jed found himself comfortably in the role of big brother, looking out for his little brother's welfare and standing beside him in the fallout of Kellie's devastating confession. To forgive Kellie would be to betray Jack, he felt, and that was something he couldn't bring himself to do.

"Roll over," Abbey told him as she pushed him onto his stomach and straddled his rear to continue rubbing his sore muscles.

"I never said you should cut ties with her," he moaned in response to her massage. "All I'm saying is don't ask me to forgive her."

"I wouldn't dream of it," she returned.

"I didn't mean to snap at you, Abbey. I just...it's Jack."

"I know." She softened her tone. "I guess I'd react the same if it was my sister we were talking about."

"And then some."

Her hands sliding up his back, she leaned over him and whispered softly in his ear. "By the way, I don't think infidelity is acceptable. I never have and I never will."

And with that, she dropped a kiss to the back of his head.

* * *

><p>"It doesn't feel like Christmas." Liz stood out on the front steps and looked up at the gray, gloomy sky. Not even a hint of sunshine teetered behind those depressing clouds.<p>

"That's because it's not," Jed told her as he wrapped twinkle lights inside a strand of garland to hang from the railing of the farmhouse porch.

"It will be in two weeks."

"Are you planning to help me or you just going to stand around and complain?"

Liz huffed up the steps to take the garland from him. "Why did we wait so long to decorate this year?"

"I think it had something to do with none of us being in the holiday spirit." Jed yanked on the garland to get it exactly the way he wanted it. "Lizzie, if you're going to help, you have to follow my lead. Let go when I pull."

"Sorry." She loosened her grip. "Ellie usually does this part."

"She's baking with your mom and Zoey. Hand me that bow."

"So you're stuck with me?" she asked as she gave him a red bow to cover the hook he attached to the garland.

"I'm not stuck with you. I like hanging out with you. Besides, it's not like you never helped me hang Christmas decorations. Before Ellie took over, you were always my little helper. Remember?"

"Yeah, we had fun."

"We did...until spending time with your old man became 'uncool'."

Liz rejected that notion. "It didn't become uncool."

"Uh huh."

"Ellie loves Christmas as much you do. I thought you preferred her help over mine."

"Don't give me that nonsense. You stopped because you didn't want to do it anymore. You know very well if it was up to me, I'd prefer to have all three of you out here with me, your arms around each other, singing Christmas carols and sipping hot chocolate while I hang the garland."

Liz giggled. "That's seriously the cheesiest thing I've heard all week."

"You want to make fun of me or you want to get this done?" He handed her more garland.

"I'd rather hang the wreaths on the window first."

"Garland first, then wreaths."

"Why can't we do wreaths first?" she prodded.

"No one does wreaths first. You have to hang the garland first."

"Says who?"

"God!"

"Where is that in scripture?"

"You're a smartass, you know that? You get it from your mom."

"Funny, she says I get it from you." Liz grabbed a festive wreath decorated with pine cones and bows. She was about to hang it when she heard a car coming up the drive and turned to look out into the distance. "Is that Aunt Kellie?"

"What the hell is she doing here?" Kellie was the last person Jed wanted to see.

"Don't be a Scrooge."

"Stay out of it. Go inside."

"What? No."

"Now, Elizabeth," he ordered firmly. "This has nothing to do with you."

Grumbling, Liz stomped up the steps, opened the front door, and stormed inside as Jed watched Kellie get out of the car and take a hesitant step toward him.

"Jed..."

"If you're looking for Abbey, she's baking cookies with the girls."

"I wasn't looking for Abbey. I was looking for you."

"Why?"

Kellie mounted the steps to the front porch. "Because I need your help."

"I'm not going to help you get him back."

"What's with the hostility?"

"You have to ask?"

"You and I used to be friends, Jed. I make one mistake and that's it? You're done?"

"That one mistake destroyed my brother," he said, his tone unforgiving.

"A little late to be playing the role of overprotective sibling, isn't it?" she shot back.

Jed stared at her, speechless. He did want to protect Jack and his sense of responsibility came from wounds of regret. It went much deeper than his current troubles, much deeper than the last few years when John Bartlet's death sent Jack into a tailspin of explosive temper tantrums. It was about what happened years earlier and the repercussions that had always haunted Jed.

It was no secret that when they were boys, Jed bore the brunt of John's toxic personality. Jack flew under the radar, hid in his room, cowered in the corner, anything to escape his wrath. Jed often shielded him, willing to suffer the consequences of John's wrath if it meant Jack wouldn't. But when Jed left for college, Jack was left behind, alone and traumatized at the hands of a father whose words were as painful as the sting of his belt.

Years later, the brothers repaired the dysfunction in their relationship, but warranted or not, Jed still carried a sense of responsibility as the older son who couldn't spare his baby brother the physical and emotional torment he suffered. The fact that Kellie threw it in his face was a biting reminder of his guilt.

"I'm sorry, that was a low blow." Kellie was quick to apologize, ashamed of her words.

"Yes, it was," he barked at her.

"Jed, I am genuinely sorry. I really am. My life is just falling apart and I blurted it out without thinking. Please, I need your help and it has nothing to do with getting Jack back."

"What could you possibly need my help with?"

"Keeping my son. Jack is suing me for full custody."

Kellie flashed a court document at him. Jed took it in disbelief. Jack was angry, and he had every reason to be, but a custody suit had no hope of ending well for any of them, least of all for Jack. It didn't matter that he was a good father and that he loved Brad more than anything in the world; his earlier transgressions hadn't been forgotten and in a court of law they would be exaggerated to paint a picture of an unstable and abusive man, unfit to raise his own son.

Jed couldn't allow that to happen. As much as he wanted to support Jack, he couldn't let him start down a path bound to lead to self-destruction. He scanned the papers Kellie gave him and glanced up at her, his tortured expression betraying his thoughts. It was clear that he was about to get involved in what had the potential to become a messy legal drama.

Inside the farmhouse, Elizabeth stood at her bedroom window just above the porch. She watched and listened to her aunt asking for her father's help. The pain in her voice and the reluctance in her father's strained response would haunt her, a reminder of the lessons learned that day about the devastating consequences infidelity and divorce unleashed on a family.

* * *

><p>Manchester, New Hampshire wasn't one of those quaint New England villages populated almost entirely by farms. The historic mill town was a real city, one of the largest in the region, and technically, the Bartlet farm was within its borders, although no one would ever know it by the large open fields, the apple orchard down the hill, the barn, the animals, and the many ponds on the property. That's exactly what Jed loved about it - a little piece of rural country life marooned in the middle of New Hampshire's Queen City.<p>

Growing up on the farm was a privilege, he told his girls when they complained about how far away they lived from everyone else. Their friends could hang out together at a moment's notice, often walking or riding their bikes to each other's homes while the Bartlet girls always had to be driven, which meant they had to coordinate with their busy parents to get to where they wanted to go. But the inconveniences aside, the girls did have a fairytale upbringing, ice skating on their own pond, sledding down the hills, and snow-shoeing and cross-country skiing over the fields. And of course, Zoey's favorite pastime, riding their horses whenever they wanted.

Dressed in her riding attire that evening, complete with winter gloves, coat, and helmet, Zoey joined her sisters as they left the house for a moonlit ride. They did this sometimes, sneak out and head to the barn to release their favorite horses from the stalls and go for a late-night ride after their parents had gone to bed. The fields were always so quiet and peaceful and the woods that surrounded the property hummed with the usual sounds of the country. This particular night was no exception. It was even quieter, in fact.

As Ellie and Zoey mounted their horses, snow began to fall and if they listened carefully, they could hear the soft sound of the flakes hitting the ground.

Having given up riding during her pregnancy, Liz accompanied her sisters just in case they got into trouble. She watched from the sidelines, pulling up the hood of her puffer jacket as the snowflakes dampened her hair. She heard it then, a sound that gave her a shiver. It was a footstep, she thought. She whirled around to see who was there, but all she saw was trunks and the bare branches of the trees that lined the woods. Did it come from the barn, she wondered. Was someone on the property? Was someone hiding in the woods? Or even worse, was someone hiding in the barn? Or did she simply imagine it? Her imagination ran wild and her heart began to race.

She opened her mouth to call out to her sisters, but before she could, she heard it again and this time, so did Ellie and Zoey. Zoey turned her head to investigate, but Ruby, the chestnut pony she was riding didn't wait. She jumped, then bolted in the opposite direction, throwing the screaming seven-year-old to the ground.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Jed's sister-in-law, Kellie, asked Jed to intervene when Jack decided to sue for sole custody of their son, Brad; out for a midnight ride, the girls felt they were being watched by a stranger in the shadows, causing Zoey to fall off her pony, Ruby

Summary: When the girls rush home to their parents, Jed investigates what happened; the Bartlets get a new houseguest

Author's Note: And another year goes by. Thank you to all who are still reading. Happy 2015!

* * *

><p>December 1986<p>

There were few things in life that Abbey Bartlet loved more than snuggling in her husband's embrace while they slept. She was never more rested and refreshed than after a night like this. She felt content in their bed, sheltered from the chaos of the outside world with Jed's big, masculine arms locked around her petite frame, the warmth of his breath against her neck and shoulder. Cuddled up like this, nothing could disturb her peaceful sleep.

Well, almost nothing.

It was just after midnight when the front door of the farmhouse swung open and their older daughters charged the stairs, screaming for their parents. Jed and Abbey awoke with a start. They leapt out of bed and Jed raced toward the bedroom door, flinging it open to find Liz carrying Zoey in her arms, a scared Ellie right on her heels. The oldest girl carefully laid her crying baby sister on the bed, then looked up at her mother for help.

"She fell...hard." Liz was out of breath, nearly hyperventilating.

"Where?" Jed questioned while Abbey examined the sniffling seven-year-old.

"Outside."

"Yeah, I got that," he said. All three girls were wearing their winter coats, making it obvious they had been outside. "WHERE did she fall?"

"We went riding. She fell off Ruby," Ellie answered, her eyes locked on her mother as Abbey briefly glanced up from caring for Zoey.

"Riding?" Jed asked with a disapproving glare. "In the middle of the night?"

Abbey returned her attention to Zoey. "Did you hit your head, sweetheart?"

"No," the little girl cried.

"Show me where it hurts."

"All over."

Abbey slipped her fingers under Zoey's back and ran them up and down her spine, from her neck to her tail bone. "Does that hurt at all?"

"Noooo."

She then slowly moved Zoey's neck from side to side. "Does that hurt?"

"Nooo," Zoey moaned, frustrated that her mother couldn't read her mind. She pointed to her left side. "Here. It hurts the most right here."

Abbey lifted her shirt to examine her torso. No cuts, just a nasty bruise across her ribcage, tender to the touch. "Can you sit up for me?"

Zoey struggled to sit up with her mother's help. She grabbed her left side and immediately slouched. "Owww!"

Abbey addressed Jed, "I want an x-ray."

"You think she has a broken rib?"

"Most likely just bruised, but I want to be sure. Stay here and get Ellie to bed?"

"Okay," Jed agreed.

Liz reached for her sister's hand to help her to her feet. "I'll go to the hospital with you."

Abbey nudged her aside and in the process, dismissed her offer. "You can stay with your father."

It wasn't a suggestion. It was a firm rejection and Liz felt the sting. Abbey loved all her girls equally, but it was no secret that she was most protective of Zoey. She was the daughter she almost lost, the one who spent her first few months in this world in the neonatal ICU, fighting for her life. Abbey never got over it. She blamed herself for everything Zoey went through back then, and even now, seven years later, her anxiety resurfaced whenever her baby got hurt.

"Mom..." It sounded like a plea. Liz couldn't stand the thought of being blamed for this.

"They look up to you," Abbey interrupted her. "They do whatever you tell them to because you are their world. Instead of teaching them to follow the rules, you're teaching them how to sneak out of the house?"

"It wasn't like that. They wanted to go riding. We were just having fun."

"Well, as long as it was fun," Abbey scoffed. "You're about to become a mother, Elizabeth. When are you going to grow up?"

And with that harsh shot of reality, Abbey helped Zoey to her feet and took her out of the room, leaving Jed to tease out the details of what happened outside. He took a seat as he waited for Liz and Ellie to fill in the gaps. How did Zoey fall? Was it simply an accident, he questioned. The duo hesitated to tell him the truth, afraid of actually saying the words, afraid of re-living those terrifying few minutes when they felt someone's presence on the property, watching and stalking them.

Finally, Liz unloaded the truth.

"Something startled Ruby," she said before correcting herself, "someone, I mean."

"What are you talking about?" Jed asked.

"There was someone else out there."

"Who?"

"I don't know. But we were definitely not alone."

"It was probably an animal."

"No, Dad." Liz was adamant. She stared her father in the eyes and didn't bother to hide her fear. "It was a person. I know it."

"How? Did you see someone?"

"No, we felt it. I mean, we felt someone there. A person."

"What do you mean you felt it?"

"I can't explain it. It was just...weird." She looked to her little sister. "Right?"

Ellie nodded. "Someone was there, Daddy. It was a person, just like Lizzie said. It spooked Ruby. She jumped and tried to run away. That's why Zoey fell."

After Zoey tumbled off Ruby, they told him, Liz screamed her name, a scream that they insisted must have scared off whoever was there because they heard footsteps running away. Ellie jumped off her own horse and rushed to her sister's side. Liz scooped an injured Zoey up in her arms and yanked on Ellie's arm to get them all out of there as fast as she could. It all happened in a matter of seconds. There was no time to think, no time to accurately assess Zoey's injuries to make sure she could be moved. The thought of a stranger behind them, watching them with a malicious purpose triggered a panic so great that Liz knew they couldn't waste a single minute. With a spike of adrenaline, she ran faster than she ever thought possible. It wasn't just herself she was protecting; it was her sisters as well. She shoved Ellie toward the house as she kept her other arm wrapped tightly around Zoey until they finally reached the porch.

Jed listened to their story, but he was skeptical. The farm was secluded, tucked away on the outermost edge of Manchester, along a winding country road that led to the more rural villages in the state. It was surrounded by woods and pastures and acres of land, and while there was no actual gate walling it off from the public, no one had ever penetrated the perimeter before. The thought of someone doing it now, in the pitch-black darkness of the midnight sky, only a few feet away from his daughters sent a chill up his spine. But Liz and Ellie adamantly repeated their story. It happened, they claimed. They felt it, they said, all three of them at the exact same time. They couldn't have telepathically imagined it, Liz argued.

Jed did his best to calm their nerves and assure them that they were safe. He tried to send them to bed, promising a thorough search in the morning, but it nagged at him. How could he sleep with the possibility of someone lurking in the shadows so close to his girls? He lifted the window of the master bedroom to stick his head outside. A dim light shone outside the barn and along the paddocks, but it wasn't enough to see someone not in plain sight. He grabbed a pair of binoculars, then asked Liz to hit the flood lights so he could properly scan the grounds. At least the part he could see. From this room, only a third of the paddock and half of the barn was within his view. Unsatisfied with the look he got, he grabbed his coat and a handheld flashlight to head outside.

* * *

><p>By the time Abbey returned from the emergency room with Zoey, Jed's hunt for the phantom intruder had turned up nothing. He and Liz had returned the horses to their stalls. He then persuaded Liz to go back to the house while he checked the rest of the property. He inspected the grounds like a roving detective at a crime scene and still, he had no explanation for what the girls experienced. His suspicion that they let their imaginations get the best of them escalated by the second, but he kept going, determined to cover every nook and cranny so that he could look them in the eye and definitively deliver the news that there was no trace of strangers wandering onto the farm.<p>

He scoured the pastures, trekked down the hill to the orchard, surveyed the ponds and the surrounding trees before he finally made his way back to the barn for the second time. The loft was the only place that escaped his initial search. It was cold, dark, and wet outside. If someone wanted shelter from the weather, the barn would have been ideal. Before he climbed the ladder to the loft, he checked the tack room one more time. Because it was the room where they stored medicine for the horses, it was warmer in the tack room and certainly more of a lure than the dreary loft that provided minimal protection from the cold. He had dedicated quite a bit of energy to searching it his first time through, but he still felt a second look was in order.

He gave it a quick scan and then headed for the loft when he heard the sound of someone approaching outside the barn. His muscles tensed and he prepared to move, until the door swung open and he saw her.

"ABBEY!" He shouted her name with part relief and part fury. "You scared the hell out of me! What the hell are you doing?"

"The girls told me you were here."

"Did they tell you why?"

"Of course."

"And you decided to follow me? Are you crazy? What if someone had really been out here?"

"Good thing they weren't or they would have gotten you first." She smiled at him.

"You're not funny." He took a deep breath. "How's Zoey?"

"She has a few bruised ribs."

"No fractures?"

"No. She'll be fine."

"Good," he said, less cranky about the whole thing. "So why are the girls still up?"

"Is that a serious question?" Abbey challenged. "Why do you think they're up? I doubt any of us will be getting much sleep tonight."

"There's no one out here, Abbey."

"Okay."

"I'm serious."

"I said okay," she repeated. "Are you trying to convince yourself?"

"I don't need to convince myself. I checked, thoroughly. There's no one out here."

"Then what scared them?"

"Who knows? It was probably an animal. A fox or a coyote, maybe a bear. Or, maybe it was nothing at all. Maybe they just imagined it."

"Is that what you think?"

"I think we have three little girls with very vivid imaginations. They feed off each other. Lizzie probably said something and Ellie was convinced she felt it too. And who knows what Zoey even saw or felt or whatever the hell the story is. Did you ask her?"

Abbey shook her head. "I didn't find out until we got back from the hospital and by then, Zoey was asleep. I didn't want to wake her."

"We'll ask her in the morning, before she talks to her sisters."

"And what if she backs up their story? What if it wasn't their imagination, what if it wasn't a wild animal, what if it was a person?"

"If there was someone here, they're gone now. I came out here as soon as I heard. Lizzie followed me. We put the horses back in their stalls, I searched the barn, the orchard, the ponds, and the woods. I'll look again when the sun comes up, but for now, I don't know what more I can do."

"I know there's nothing you can do. It's just creepy."

"Yeah, it is," he agreed. "Come here." He folded her up in his arms, holding her tight against his chest. "We're all safe. There's no danger. I'd stake my life on it."

"Don't say that."

"That's how sure I am." With a finger tucked under her chin, he lifted her head to look her in the eye. "I'd never let anything happen to you or to our girls."

Abbey closed her eyes and tilted her head to kiss him. Here she was again, wrapped in her husband's gentle arms, the same way she'd fallen asleep hours earlier and once again, she felt safe and content, despite the drama of the night. Jed had that affect on her. He always had. It was hard to believe that in just a few short weeks, he would leave for Washington again, inaugurated for his second term as a U.S. Congressman. If this had happened while he was away, she had no idea what she would have done. It was hard enough managing day-to-day without him; a scare like the one they had tonight would only underline his absence and make her miss him that much more.

Her hands tracing his back, Abbey buried her head into his shoulder. Jed's back was to the ladder that led to the loft and he was so focused on Abbey that he never even noticed someone climbing down until he heard the thud of the person's feet crashing onto the ground.

He turned quickly, just in time to see the back of a head running away from him. The fear might have grounded him to his spot if rage hadn't taken over first. This was HIS home, HIS barn. The fact that someone so brazenly invaded the sanctity of his farm, spying on his daughters, hiding just steps away from where he was standing with his wife enraged him. He gave chase, out the barn and toward the paddocks. Abbey followed, stepping out of the barn just in time to see Jed claw the faceless stranger's shoulder and tackle him to the ground.

"Uncle Jed, stop!" a soft, feeble voice pleaded.

Jed spun him around, stunned by the face he saw staring back at him. It was the face of his nephew. "Brad?!"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt anyone. Is Zoey okay?"

Jed struggled to catch his breath. The sudden jolt of terror had given him such an emotional and physical rise that it took him several seconds to recover before he and Abbey brought Brad back to the house.

* * *

><p>"BRAD?" Elizabeth shrieked when she saw her cousin mounting the porch steps and walking in the front door with her parents. "You were the creep who was watching us?"<p>

"I wasn't watching you! I just happened to be out there when you were!"

Jed slipped off his coat, then reached his hand out to ask for Abbey's. "Girls, go to bed. We'll talk about it in the morning."

Liz squinted her eyes at Brad as she circled in front of him on her way to the stairs. "You are such a little punk."

"Better than being a slut," he spat back at her.

"BRAD!" Abbey was already annoyed by the trouble Brad had caused. He wasn't going to win any brownie points by going after Liz.

"This is why no one likes you," Ellie growled at him. Ordinarily shy and well-behaved, Ellie was also fiercely loyal, especially to her sisters. No one got away with talking to Liz that way when she was around.

"That's enough, all of you! Liz and Ellie, upstairs now," Jed ordered firmly. "Brad, you're coming with me."

Abbey followed the girls upstairs as Jed ushered Brad into the kitchen.

His hands on the 14-year-old's shoulders, he walked him to a chair at the table and sat him down, then took the seat directly across from him.

"First things first," he started. "That little interaction between you and Liz? That kind of thing is never going to happen again. We don't use that kind of language here. If I hear you say it again, especially directed at anyone related to me, you're going to have ME to deal with. Understood?"

"Yes, sir," Brad replied, his head hanging low as he avoided eye contact with his uncle.

"Brad?" Jed waited for Brad to look up at him. When he didn't, he called him again. "Brad, look at me. A gentleman never uses that word toward a woman. Ever. It's wrong."

"Then you should talk to my dad since he used it on my mom this morning," he said.

"Your dad's a jackass," Jed shot off impulsively. He acknowledged Jack's anger over Kellie's one-night-stand, but there was no excuse for using such a derogatory term toward the mother of his child, and even worse, he allowed Brad to hear it. Still, his own response was inappropriate, he realized. Caught in the middle of the battle between his mother and father was bad enough; the last thing Brad needed was for his uncle to criticize his father as well. Jed paused for a beat, then said, "I didn't mean that."

"Why not?" Brad asked. "It's true."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is. He's trying to take me away from my mom. I hate him."

"Don't say that."

"I do! You have no idea!"

"You hate him because you want to stay with your mom?"

"No! I don't want to stay with either one of them, not when they're fighting all the time."

"Is that why you came here?"

Brad shrugged, looking down again. "I dunno."

He did know. He couldn't stand it at home anymore. He needed to get away and he had nowhere else to turn.

"Do you want to stay with us for a while?" Another shrug, but Jed saw through the hesitation. "You can, you know. You can stay here as long as you want."

He could only imagine what Brad was going through. It had been two weeks since Kellie's transgression had come to light and already, this was proving to be too messy a divorce for any kid to witness. His heart broke for Brad. He stood up then and walked over to the other side of the table. He took the seat beside Brad and pulled him around to hug him.

The teenager welcomed and returned the embrace, allowing himself to let go of all the emotions he'd kept bottled up. It was safe here at the farm. There was no vicious yelling, no hurtful barbs exchanged, no threats or tears. It was warm and inviting, loving and stable. For the first time in weeks, he felt at peace.

* * *

><p>"Give him a break. He's going through a rough time." Abbey turned down the covers as she helped Ellie get ready for bed upstairs.<p>

"But he's always been like this, even when we were kids."

She smiled at Ellie's implication that they were no longer kids. "Be that as it may, at the moment, he has a reason to be upset."

"Because of the divorce?"

"That's right."

"Why are they getting divorced anyway? Why can't they work it out?" She had only heard bits and pieces of the conflict between her Uncle Jack and her Aunt Kellie. What she did know, she didn't quite comprehend.

"You can't always work it out, sweetheart."

"You and Daddy always work it out."

Ellie was too young and too romantically naive to understand that Jack and Kellie were facing a challenge her parents had never confronted - infidelity. Abbey hoped that she and Jed were a strong enough couple to get through and forgive anything, but she had to admit the ramifications of infidelity pushed the envelope. It wasn't the time or the place to get into that discussion though.

"It's different," she simply said.

"Why?" the inquisitive pre-teen prodded further.

"What is with the 20 questions?"

"I'm curious."

"Yeah, I notice your curiosity piqued every night around bedtime."

Ellie was always a night owl. She giggled as she crawled into bed and slid her legs under the covers. "I'm sorry Zoey got hurt."

"So am I."

"We shouldn't have gone riding so late without permission. I know you think it was Lizzie's fault, but it wasn't. It was Zoey's idea and I wanted to go too, so we begged Lizzie to take us."

"We'll talk about it in the morning."

"Can't we talk about it now?" Anything to get out of going to bed.

"Nice try." Abbey leaned down to drop a kiss to her forehead.

"I love you."

"I love you too, Goldilocks."

* * *

><p>After leaving Ellie's room, Abbey peeked in on Zoey to make sure she was still sleeping, then poked her head into Liz's room. She hadn't forgotten how she snapped at Liz earlier when she offered to come to the hospital. It seemed that Liz always carried the blame when her younger sisters got hurt, one of the curses of being the oldest. As an older sister herself, Abbey could relate. She remembered many incidents when she and Kate were growing up where she was in Liz's shoes. When Ellie was born, she promised herself she would never do that to Liz, but she had gone back on that promise time and time again and each time, she regretted it.<p>

Tonight, regret wasn't on her mind. Zoey and Ellie might have begged her to take them out, but Liz should have known better, Abbey thought. She was 18 now, nearly a wife and soon to be a mother herself. She should have stood firm, respected her parents' rules, and convinced her little sisters to go to bed instead of engaging in their rebellion. Abbey was angry, and even knowing that Zoey was going to be just fine didn't completely abolish Liz of the burden of responsibility.

Abbey knocked lightly, then opened the door to Liz's room. Liz was on her side, so Abbey couldn't tell if she was sleeping. She took a few delicate steps toward her and whispered her name. No response. She took a few steps more and looked down to see her daughter's eyes closed. She reached for the blanket at the foot of the bed, and tugged on the hem to cover Liz up, then leaned forward to press a kiss to her cheek.

As Abbey walked away and slipped out of the room just as quietly as she came in, Liz opened her eyes and wiped a tear from her face. Her mother's words had affected her more than she wanted to admit.

* * *

><p>In the hall outside Liz's bedroom, Abbey turned to find Jed approaching.<p>

"Hey," he greeted her. "Brad's sleeping in the guestroom."

"Did you get him an extra blanket?"

"Yeah, he's fine. Can we talk?"

Abbey followed him into the master suite and took a seat on the edge of the bed, watching as Jed paced in front of her. "What's wrong?"

"Jack and Kellie have totally screwed this whole thing up. They're fighting like cats and dogs with no care or worry about what they're putting their son through."

"They've had a rough time."

"That's putting it mildly. I want Brad to live with us for a while, at least through the holidays."

"Okay."

"I know it'll be an adjustment for all of us, particularly between him and the girls - and by the way, I talked to him about what he said to Liz. He's going to apologize."

"Jed, I said okay. You don't have to convince me."

Jed thought she'd come around, but he was surprised that she agreed so quickly. "Yeah?"

"Honey, he's our nephew. He's caught up in this hellish tug-of-war between his parents and he's clearly struggling. Of course he should stay here if that's what he wants. What's the alternative, we turn our backs on him?"

"How do you think the girls are going to take it?"

"They'll complain at first, but in spite of their arguments with Brad, they really do love him. They'll understand."

"You think?"

Abbey shrugged. "It'll take some getting used to. They've never had a brother. I can only imagine Lizzie's face when she learns there's another person to share the bathroom with in the mornings and that person happens to be a male."

Jed grinned mischievously. "That's going to be fun to watch."

"I'm going to tell her you said that." Abbey chuckled.

"Hey," he said, taking her hand as she rose to her feet. "You were a little hard on her before."

"I was angry."

"Who wouldn't be? I'm saying you were short with her. She's so sensitive about the baby, scared she's not going to be a good mom. I think it really rattled her."

"Did she say something?"

Jed shook his head. "Not specifically about tonight, but when she and I were in the barn, she asked me if I thought she made a mistake in deciding to keep the baby. It came out of nowhere."

"All right, I'll talk to her in the morning," Abbey promised. She wrapped her arms around Jed's waist then and gave him a kiss to the lips. "Ready for bed?"

"Again? I was ready hours ago!"

"Uninterrupted this time."

"Hopefully. Don't forget there are four kids in the house now. Any one of them could wake up at any time and barge into our room."

"Bite your tongue!"

Their bed sheets and comforter were a crumpled mess. Jed straightened out his side while Abbey smoothed down the other and they both climbed in, easily conforming to their usual spooning position. A few deep breaths and they drifted off - just minutes before the alarm clock buzzed.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: The Bartlet girls' midnight "stalker" turned out to be their 14-year-old cousin, Brad, who had run away from home

Summary: Abbey spends the day reminiscing while accompanying Liz to her doctor's appointment and shopping for wedding dresses; Jed has an intense meeting with his brother and sister-in-law

* * *

><p>Elizabeth Bartlet had a morning routine. Growing up with two sisters, it was practically required if she wanted to get out of the house on time. All three girls shared a bathroom upstairs, but only Liz liked to shower in the morning. Zoey was young enough that she took bedtime baths and Ellie was such a night owl that she, too, preferred showers at night. But not Liz. Every bit her mother's daughter, Liz considered washing her hair an essential part of morning grooming. And, of course, next came the blow dry, followed by makeup, wardrobe, and accessories. The vanity in her bedroom was perfect for such things, but the bathroom provided better light, so she made it a point to get up early enough to monopolize it without guilt. Or so she thought.<p>

It was a Monday in December, one week before Christmas, when everything changed.

Liz stepped out of the tub and drenched her damp legs with lotion. It was an old trick Abbey had taught her, putting her lotion on before drying herself off. It seeped into her pores to moisturize better than applying when dry. She then wrapped herself up in her big fluffy bathrobe and reached for a towel to squeeze the water out of her hair. She had just attached the diffuser to her blowdryer when Brad barged in.

"HEY!" Liz shouted at him.

"I've been waiting TWO hours go to the bathroom." The fury in his tone did nothing for his cause.

"I've only been in here an hour!"

"Like that's not overkill? What could you possibly be doing that takes so long? Your hair isn't even dry yet!"

"Get out." She aimed the dryer at him, shooting him with a blast of hot air.

"I have to go to the bathroom!" he shouted.

"There's another bathroom downstairs!"

"I also have to shower!"

"Fine!" Liz grunted, unplugging the blowdryer.

"Tomorrow, we're making a schedule."

"Tomorrow?" Liz knew he had spent the night, but assumed he'd be returning home today.

"Your dad said I could stay as long as I wanted." Brad was happy to deliver that news. He smiled as Liz's eyes grew to twice their natural size.

Liz whirled herself around to find her father passing by the open bathroom door.

"It's true," Jed said without stopping on his way across the hall. "Brad's with us through the holidays. You're going to have to adjust your routine."

"UGH! I can't wait to move out!"

And with that, Liz grabbed her dryer and stomped across the hall to her room, the sound of the slam echoing in the master bedroom as Jed walked in.

"What was that?" Abbey sat at her vanity, coiling the cord of her own blow dryer to put it away.

"Liz just found out that Brad is staying."

Their eldest daughter certainly had a knack for melodrama, but in this case, Abbey sympathized. "Tell me you didn't just spring it on her."

"I didn't have to. Brad told her," Jed replied. "She'll deal with it."

"Did you call Kellie?"

"Yeah, she'll be here soon. I talked her into breakfast so we can discuss things."

"I don't think she's going to go for it."

"No?"

"Would we? Is there any conceivable scenario under which you or I would allow someone else to care for our children?"

"You and I aren't as dysfunctional as they are. This is what's best for Brad. And we're talking about a couple of weeks here, not a lifetime."

"I know you want to help him, honey, but I think what his parents need is a wake-up call, not an intervention. You need to talk to your brother."

"I called him. He's coming too."

"Both of them will be here? Ready to play referee?"

"I'm holding out hope that it won't come to that." Jed had faith that his brother would keep his cool and try to work this out in a civil manner now that his son had taken such drastic steps to free himself of the ongoing conflict between his parents.

"Your optimism is endearing."

"Let's just hope I'm right."

Abbey stood and stepped out of her robe then. "Did you wake Ellie?"

"No. I woke Zoey. Ellie's all yours." He grinned.

Zoey was easy. She often woke herself and when she didn't, she was out of bed with one call of her name. Ellie, meanwhile, could sleep through an earthquake.

"You're a prince." Abbey threw her husband a glare as she started out the door to wake their middle daughter.

* * *

><p>The first day at a new school might be anxiety provoking for anyone, but for a shy girl like Ellie, it was downright scary. She remembered her first day at Manchester Middle School, how nervous and apprehensive she was. All her friends from elementary school were on a different schedule, leaving her alone in her classes, the sole stranger who didn't know anyone. She didn't feel she belonged until the day she met that infamous troubled trio. Lacy, Nicole, and Celia, the girls who led her down a path she'd never have gone down on her own.<p>

Ellie remembered when they turned on her. The loneliness she felt at being an outcast. She remembered the hurt feelings, the tears she tried to hide. She sometimes locked herself away in a stall in the girls' bathroom at lunchtime to avoid the glares and stares from people she once trusted. But most of all, she remembered the day that Nicole hit her and the moment she realized the fantasy of friendship was just that, a fantasy. Humiliated, she ran home and cried in her bedroom, vowing never to return to school again. It was a promise she kept. She was lucky enough to have a supportive family and parents who allowed her to change schools and start over in an environment that hadn't already crushed her spirit.

Today was her fresh start and she was determined to make it a success, if only she could suppress her first-day jitters.

"Ellie?" Abbey called with a knock on the door.

"I'm up." Ellie opened the door, revealing herself to be fully dressed in a dark blue skirt, light blue sweater, black tights, and snow boots. Her blonde curls were swept off her face with a pretty white headband.

"You look lovely."

"Is it enough to make a good first impression?"

"It's missing something."

Ellie frowned. "What?"

Abbey handed her a small gift box. "It's an early Christmas present."

Ellie opened the box to find a golden angel pendant dangling from a chain. "Mom, it's beautiful."

"It's a guardian angel...to watch over you when I'm not around."

Ellie examined it between her fingers, then handed it over to her mother. Abbey pulled it from the box and turned Ellie around so she could drape it around her neck and fasten the clasp under her pretty curls. With one last look at her, Abbey dropped a kiss to the top of her head, before heading downstairs to start breakfast.

* * *

><p>Down in the kitchen, Zoey sat at the table, working on her project. Pine cones and glitter. It wasn't Christmas at the farm without them. The Bartlet tree was trimmed with meaningful ornaments and the rest of the house was decorated with homemade arts and crafts. Abbey taught each of her daughters the basics of Christmas decor, from the tree to the garland to wreaths, lights, stockings, and mistletoe. She then catered to each child's particular likes. For Lizzie, it was red and white beaded candy canes and glass candle jars with floating red crystals, Ellie enjoyed making snow globes and decorating wreaths with bells and velvet bows, and Zoey loved her glitter.<p>

She tried to contain the glitter by sprinkling the pine cones in an old cookie sheet Jed had given her, but she inevitably made a mess of sparkles and, as usual, he had to follow behind her with a damp cloth to clean it up.

"Zoey!" Abbey shook her head as she entered the kitchen. "What did I tell you about glitter and glue on the kitchen table?"

"I said it was okay," Jed intervened.

"I had already told her that it wasn't."

"I'll clean it up, relax."

"The point is, she has a perfectly suitable arts and crafts desk for just this sort of thing."

"Ah, that's the point."

"That, and what's the purpose of rules if you're just going to contradict me?"

"Uh oh, are we going to start the morning with an argument?"

"We just might."

"Pick your battles, Abigail," he said as he crossed in front of her on the way to the stove. "I've done about 10 other things this morning alone that will have you clenching your teeth. You really want to fight about this one?"

Abbey glared at him. "What did you do?"

"I plead the fifth."

"Jed."

"You are so damn sexy when you're about to scold me."

To her displeasure, his remark shattered her tough exterior and her lips curved into a smile. "There's something wrong with you, you know that?"

"Yeah, I do," he smiled back.

Abbey couldn't be mad at him. This was his coping mechanism. Not only was it Christmastime, but in a few short weeks, he'd be heading back to Washington to begin his second term in Congress and he couldn't stand the thought of leaving his family. So what if he told Zoey she could decorate her pine cones on the table? There were other, more important issues at stake, and one of them was about to come to a head, thanks to a certain blonde who had just learned about the changes in the family dynamics and rushed into the kitchen, panicked.

"Is Brad moving in?"

All eyes turned to Ellie.

"Did Lizzie break the news?"

"So it's true?"

Zoey perked up. "Brad's gonna live with us?"

"It's only for a short time," Jed replied. "Didn't you always want a brother?"

"No," Ellie was quick to tell him.

"Then we're even," Brad announced as he walked in behind Ellie. "I never wanted a sister either."

"Cool it, guys." Jed dished pancakes onto a serving dish and raised his eyes to look at his daughter, relieved when she took a seat at the table without a sassy comeback directed at Brad. "It's only temporary. You can pretend to like each other until Christmas."

The grumbling from the table went unacknowledged, a backdrop to the other drama about to unfold between husband and wife.

"Here," Abbey handed Jed a can of syrup.

Jed couldn't believe his eyes. 'Vermont Maple Syrup.' Why was she handing him Vermont maple syrup? "Is this a joke?"

"We're out of syrup. This is what we have left."

"How can we be out of syrup?" He disappeared into the pantry and within seconds, called out to his wife, "We're really out of syrup?"

"It tastes exactly the same," she called into the pantry.

"Not to the syrup connoisseurs of the world." He reappeared beside her.

"Of which, you are not one. I know you think only New Hampshire does syrup right, but good things do come out of Vermont."

"The only good thing about Vermont is its view of New Hampshire." Abbey cleared her voice at that, a not-so-subtle reminder to Jed of her Vermont roots. "And of course, certain auburn-haired beauties, like yourself, who hail from its glorious green mountains."

"You were very close to the edge there, Bartlet."

"Nice save though, wasn't it?"

"To be determined," she said with a coy grin.

Over at the table as if oblivious to their parents' interaction, Zoey giggled when Brad sank into the chair beside her.

"What?" he asked.

"You sat in glitter." Zoey grinned from ear to ear as her cousin rose to his feet to dust the glitter off his backside. "There was glue too."

"My pants are ruined! It's not funny!"

"It really kinda is," Ellie agreed, laughing.

"Girls." Abbey's sharp tone quieted them down. "Jed, why don't you help him find another pair of pants for school. I'll take care of breakfast."

"Thanks." Jed gestured to his nephew. "Come on, Brad. We'll throw your pants in the wash." He waited for Brad to disappear from earshot before he turned to his daughters. "Just so we're clear, Brad is staying with us for now. You two are going to have to get used it and adjust your attitudes. You're going to treat him like you treat each other or else we're going to have a big problem."

As he left the room, Ellie tried to avoid her mother's glare, but Abbey didn't allow her to.

"Ellie?" She called her name and didn't speak again until Ellie looked at her. "What did we talk about last night?"

Ellie remembered that conversation, but she shrugged anyway. "About being nicer to him, but this wasn't my fault. I didn't make him sit in glitter."

"No, but you certainly got a kick out of it."

"It was funny. And he would have laughed if it happened to me. Remember that Thanksgiving when he spilled hot gravy on me on purpose? He laughed then. He's always been mean to me."

"He was a little boy back then. He's grown up."

"I haven't noticed."

Realizing she was getting nowhere, Abbey adopted a different approach. "Regardless, he's family and he needs us right now. I'm not asking you to give him another chance. I'm telling you to. Okay?"

Ellie wasn't going to win this one. She grudgingly replied, "Okay."

"That goes for you too, Zoey. Now clean up your mess and no more arts and crafts at the table."

It was going to be an adjustment, that was clear. The Bartlet girls stuck together and Brad was an only child. In the past, conflicts between him and one of them meant conflicts between all four, but they were older now and the family rivalry was no longer harmless. If Brad was going to stay at the farm, things were going to have to change and Abbey would make sure that they did. She was on a timeline. Jed would head back to Washington soon. Handling three strong-willed daughters on her own was tough enough. Adding her rambunctious, strong-willed nephew to the mix and mediating their schoolyard spats was more than she bargained for.

* * *

><p>Upstairs, Liz paced around her bedroom with her phone glued to her ear, preparing for an important day ahead. Today, she'd have an ultrasound that would reveal the sex of her baby. But the excitement of it all fizzled, replaced by disappointment when she found out Doug was unable to make it. He'd gotten a second job to help pay for the pregnancy and with the added responsibilities came more commitments than he could juggle.<p>

"If I don't go in, I lose my job," he told her.

"I hate your boss," she replied.

"It's only temporary. As soon as I graduate, I'll get a better job and everything will work out."

She didn't blame him - how could she when it wasn't his fault? - but that didn't dull frustration of not having him at her side during the ultrasound. She continued to pace, the phone now hanging down at her chin as they said their goodbyes. She returned the receiver to its cradle, stripped out of her robe, and pulled a sweater dress over her head. Doing what she always did when she got ready in the morning, she pulled her hand down over her belly and turned to the side to get a look at herself in her full-length mirror.

That was her baby in there. Her little boy or little girl, growing in her womb. Soon, she'd be a mother and the closer she got to her due date, the more frightened she became. How could she be a parent? How could she be responsible for another life? She was in no position to raise a child, not emotionally or financially. The idea of someone else depending on her, looking up to her the way she looked up to her own parents filled her with anxiety.

A knock at her bedroom door brought her out of her thoughts and she turned her head to see who it was.

Abbey peeked in. "Breakfast is ready."

"I'm not hungry," Liz said.

"Well, the baby is."

"So now I'm a bad mother because I don't want breakfast?"

The response startled Abbey. "What? Where did that come from?"

"It's what you said last night, isn't it? That I'm going to be a bad mother?"

"Lizzie, no!" She was horrified by that interpretation of what she said. "I never said that and if that's what you've been thinking, I apologize from the bottom of my heart."

"It's how it came across."

"Not by intention. I was upset that you helped your sisters sneak out, but it was never about what kind of mother you'd be."

"You said 'you're about to be a mother. When are you going to grow up?' "

"Yes, I did. I wanted you to put yourself in the shoes of a mother instead of the 'cool big sister who helps them break the rules.' That's all."

"They begged me to take them."

"I know, Ellie told me. They shouldn't have done that, but when they did..."

"I should have said no."

"Yes. That's all I meant, sweetheart."

Liz took a seat on the chest at the foot of her bed. "I did put myself in the shoes of a mother...after the fact. When Zoey fell..."

"I know." Abbey joined her on the chest. "You picked her up and carried her home. I saw it and I heard all about how you protected Ellie at the same time by pushing her in front of you and rushing her toward the house."

"It was really scary. I didn't know who was there or what they wanted. I know it was irresponsible to take them out so late without telling you where we were. If something had happened or if Zoey had been seriously hurt, I couldn't live with myself."

"Well, fortunately, she wasn't seriously hurt. You protected them. Occasional lapse in judgment aside, you've been looking out for them their entire lives. You're a natural at it." She put her arm around Liz's shoulder. "That's how I know you're going to be a good mother."

"You don't have to say that."

"Yes, I do, because it's the truth and you need to hear it." She lifted her chin to look her in the eye. "You're going to be just fine."

"You have more faith in me than I do."

"No, I just have more experience. Most first-time mothers feel exactly like you do right now. I certainly did."

"You?" Liz wasn't used to seeing her mother confused and scared.

"Yes, me. Do you think I was born knowing how to be a mother? It took time. And hell, I still make mistakes, like last night. Had I known you went to bed thinking what you did, I would have straightened things out. The bottom line is, you're not going to do everything perfectly, especially at the beginning. You're going to question everything and everything is going to scare you."

"What scared you?"

"What didn't? I was scared when you slept, scared when you were awake, scared when I fed you." Abbey smiled at a memory then. "A few days after you were born, I was holding you and suddenly, your little body shook for a split second. You looked right at me and you were fine, but then a minute later, I felt it again. I panicked...until I realized you had the hiccups."

"You freaked out over hiccups?" Liz chuckled at that.

"I did. And if you think that's funny, just ask your dad about his reaction the first time you sneezed."

"What did he do?"

"He stared at you for a minute, then he looked over at me, and then looked back at you. I told him to relax, that it was just a sneeze, and he said 'she can do that?' "

Liz laughed. "I'm probably going react the same way."

"I'd be worried if you didn't." Abbey tucked Liz's hair behind her ear. "The first few months of motherhood are the scariest months of your life. You're going to live in a constant state of anxiety. That's the way it should be when you're raising a human being. One day, you'll realize, it's worth every second of worry."

* * *

><p>"Where's my son?" Jack Bartlet greeted his older brother with that question before he took one step inside the house.<p>

"Abbey took him to school." Jed reached out a hand to take his coat, then led him to the dining room, where Kellie was already waiting.

"I can't believe he rode his bike here. It was 20 degrees last night!"

"It's called desperation."

As they reached the dining room, Jack's eyes met Kellie's. He used to beam with pride when he saw his wife. Now, his stare was dark and brooding.

"You didn't know he left?" he asked her.

"He left in the middle of the night," she replied defensively. "What do you want me to do, install a bed alarm?"

"I was just asking."

"You haven't just asked me anything in a long time, Jack. Everything is an accusation these days."

"Can we take a breather here? I don't want this to turn into another knock-down, drag-out fight." Jed gestured to his brother to take a seat. "Before we begin, I want it duly noted that serving Vermont maple syrup was not my idea."

The table was set for three and stacked with serving trays of eggs, bacon, sausage, fruit, and pancakes, a pitcher of orange juice and mugs of hot coffee. Jed poured himself a glass of juice and passed the pitcher to Kellie.

Jack stripped out of his suit jacket and sat down. "I'll pick Brad up after school. He'll come home with me."

"Absolutely not," Kellie was quick to protest.

"He's my son."

"And mine too. You're not taking him away from me."

"I'm not trying to take him away from you."

"Really? Then what's with the custody suit?"

"We'll let the courts decide that. I'm saying that if HE wants to, he can come live with me starting today."

"He doesn't want to live with either one of you at the moment," Jed told them bluntly. "He wants to stay here, with us, at least until the two of you can remain in the same room and be civil to one another."

"We can be civil," Jack insisted.

"I have yet to see it," Jed countered. "You're fighting constantly and Brad's the one who's going to suffer for it. You're his father, Jack. He learns by example. Case in point, he called Elizabeth the same vulgar name you called your wife."

Jack lowered his gaze, ashamed that he shouted such a word to Kellie and even more ashamed that he let his son hear it. A minute of silence passed between them before anyone said another word.

"Jed..." Kellie shook her head at her son's behavior. "I don't know what got into him. I'll apologize to Elizabeth."

"I'm the one he got it from. I'll apologize," Jack offered. "Not just to Elizabeth." He looked at his wife. "I went too far, Kellie. I was angry and I said things I didn't mean. I'm sorry."

It was an awkward apology despite his sincerity. Jed watched in silence as husband and wife interacted like strangers. It was foreign to him, the concept of divorce. How could two people so close, so in love become so bitter and hateful? He blamed Kellie at first and part of him still held her responsible. It was her betrayal, after all, that triggered the demise of the marriage. Or so he had said. His opinion had evolved, changed even. Kellie's betrayal wasn't the trigger; it was a symptom, he now believed. But did it matter? The end result was the same. Whatever their issues were at the time, they had since been resolved and forgiven. But she had still slept with another man and her confession of the infidelity years after it happened was powerful enough to destroy their relationship.

He thought about Abbey then. Would he be any more forgiving than Jack if Abbey had been unfaithful? He cringed at the thought. Abbey would never do such a thing. She was too loyal, too honest. She had too much integrity to succumb to the manipulations of another man.

The sad part was that once upon a time, that's exactly what Jack would have said about Kellie.

* * *

><p>After dropping the kids off at school, Abbey and Elizabeth set off on a morning of wedding preparations before Liz's doctor's appointment. The first stop - a bridal boutique on the Merrimack River to peruse wedding dresses. Abbey had made appointments at a few of the upscale Boston boutiques she knew Liz would like, but this trip was an impulsive one to browse styles more than anything. With the wedding quickly approaching, there wasn't time for anything custom made - there was barely enough time for alterations, beyond hems, waist, and bustlines - so it was important to find a dress that fit exactly the way she wanted it to, with a little room to spare since her belly was sure to expand by her wedding day.<p>

Liz scanned the dresses, picking out the ones she liked and handing them to the attendant who shuttled them into a dressing room. She disappeared behind the door to try them on as Abbey wandered the shop, lost in a daze of happy memories. Twenty years earlier, she was the one searching for a dress. The emotions were still fresh in her mind, the anxiety, the worry that she'd pick a style that didn't suit her body, or one that Jed didn't like. She'd fallen in love with velvet. It had a Renaissance quality to it with a texture and depth suited for a castle. But velvet for a summer wedding? Her mother pulled out all the stops and with some adjustments to the fabric to make it more summery, Abbey found a designer to help her create the dress of her dreams. She hoped she could do the same for Liz, although she knew that wouldn't be easy.

The eldest Bartlet daughter was a born fashionista, a harsh critic of all but her own elegant taste. She loved formal dresses and white was definitely her color. Abbey still chuckled at the heartwarming memory of the first time she took her shopping. Living in London when Lizzie turned one, Abbey set out on a trip to Harrods to buy her a new dress to wear to her first birthday party. Liz sat calmly in her stroller most of the day, but she fussed when they reached a particular aisle in the store. Abbey lifted her up and held her in her arms. It was then that Liz reached for a white dress her mother hadn't yet noticed. She grabbed the sparkly pink bow tied at the waist of the dress and looked up at Abbey as if asking if she could have it. Abbey quickly learned that her little girl was all about dressing up. Soon came a dress for her First Communion, followed by Sweetheart cotillions and the eight grade dance. Then she was in high school and it was all about Homecoming and Prom and the extravagance of cocktail attire and glittery gowns.

A wave of nostalgia came over Abbey as she realized that this might be the last dress she'd ever buy for her. In a month, Liz would be married. She'd have her own family, her own child, and all Abbey could think about was the little girl sitting in the stroller at Harrods, whose eyes lit up at the sight of the sparkly party dress all those years ago. A part of her wanted to turn back the clock and revisit the days she remembered so fondly. But she took a deep breath and snapped herself out of that. If watching her baby girl grow up was so amazing, then watching her navigate the challenges and bask in the rewards of motherhood was sure to be even better. With a glance at her watch, she handed Liz a few more dresses and hurried her along so they wouldn't be late for the doctor's appointment.

* * *

><p>"How come you didn't have an ultrasound to find out if I was a boy or a girl?" Liz asked her mother as she sat on the examining table.<p>

"Fetal ultrasound wasn't really used when I was pregnant with you."

"I was born before ultrasound? I feel so old."

Abbey chuckled. "Ultrasound was invented. It just wasn't widely used, especially for determining gender. Besides, I like surprises."

"Dad said you wanted a girl."

"I did," she confirmed as yet another memory touched her heart. This one was Liz's birth.

It was in London, the Bartlets' home while Jed earned his doctorate. In classic form even as an infant, little Lizzie had grown impatient in the womb and decided to arrive several weeks early. That would have been fine, if not for Jed's absence. Thinking they still had time, Abbey encouraged him to travel to Chicago for two days for Leo's wedding. Her mother had been visiting when she went into labor. Mary had placed a frantic call to Jed and he caught the next flight out of O'Hare just in time to welcome his daughter into the world.

Abbey waited for him. Through the pain of labor, she prayed for him to make it as quickly as possible and she held on until he did. She would never forget the feelings that rushed through her body that night. The anxiety, the worry, the relief, the joy, and the pride. She was overcome by a flood emotions, laughing and crying simultaneously; and when she finally gave that one final push, when the baby slipped out of her body, she steadied herself and waited and listened until she heard the infant wailing in the doctor's arms.

Eighteen years later, Abbey still had no words to describe the life-changing moment she looked into her baby girl's eyes for the very first time. Her little baby doll, the angelic newborn who had grown up much too fast.

"Mom?" Liz brought her back to the present.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for letting me keep my baby. If I didn't know that I'd have your support, I probably would have had no choice but to give her up for adoption."

"You will always have our support, no matter what."

Abbey stood by her daughter's side then as the doctor squirted gel on Liz's belly. She pressed down with the probe and images appeared on the monitor. Abbey waited for the doctor to confirm what she thought she was seeing.

"Can you tell? What is it?!" Liz propped herself up on her elbows, eager for the answer.

The doctor smiled at her eager patient. "You're having a girl."

"I KNEW it!" Elated by the news, Liz reached out for her mother. "Mom, it's a girl!"

"I heard, sweetheart. Best news in the world." Abbey hugged her tight.

"It's really happening, isn't it? I'm going to be a mother." This time, instead of apprehension, there was genuine delight in Liz's voice. She looked up at Abbey and added, "And you're going be a grandmother."

"Hush now, baby doll. Don't ruin the moment."

* * *

><p>After a full plate of breakfast, two cups of coffee, and two hours of negotiation, Jed was no closer to reaching a deal with Jack and Kellie than he been when they arrived. Kellie walked out first, leaving no doubt that she would be the one to pick Brad up after school. Jack stayed behind, not because he was grateful for his brother's interference, but because he was so threatened by the alliance Brad had formed with Jed that he needed to address it.<p>

"He's my son," he said. "I'm a good father, Jed."

"I never said you weren't."

"But you think he's better off with you than with me. You said so."

"While you and Kellie are fighting like this, yes, I do think he's better off here. Come on, Jack, don't you remember what that's like? The yelling, the tension? We grew up with it."

Jack shook his head. "That's not how Kellie and I are."

"You're right, you're not nearly as bad as Mom and Dad were. But there's tension, the kind of tension where you think at any moment either of you could explode and set off another round of hateful retorts. If it makes me uncomfortable, imagine what it's doing to Brad."

"He's fine."

"He wasn't fine last night."

"He will be fine from now on. I'll see to it."

"Good. In the meantime..."

"He's not staying here, Jed. Kellie was clear on that...and thanks by the way. By bringing up my rocky relationship with Brad, you gave her ammunition to use against me in the custody suit."

"The custody suit is a mistake."

Jack looked stunned. "You don't think I have a right to raise my son?"

"You have every right to raise your son. You have no right to take him away from his mother."

"Kellie cheated on me and she lied about it for 5 years."

"That has nothing to do with this."

"It has everything to do with it!"

"No, it doesn't and you know it."

Jack pushed out his chair and rose to his feet. "Thanks for breakfast."

Jed chased him out of the dining room, through the kitchen, and toward the foyer. "Jack, you know I'm right. Say what you want about Kellie as a wife. She is a good mother."

"Part of being a good mother is being faithful to the father of your child."

"The problems between husband and wife have nothing to do with the child. Don't turn Brad against Kellie. If you do, you'll regret it for the rest of your life, and your son will resent you for it."

"I'm not trying to turn him against Kellie. All I'm trying to do is be a responsible father."

"This isn't the way to do it. Drop the custody suit."

"Whose side are you on?"

"Brad's."

Jack stared at his brother for a minute as if contemplating his advice. Then, without a word, he grabbed his coat, turned away, and walked out the front door.

* * *

><p>Hours later, Jed was still reeling from his confrontation with Jack. He'd gone to work to try to take his mind off of it, but it was useless. His mood was obvious to everyone in the office, from his round shoulders and slumped posture to his flat and somewhat guarded tone of voice. Mrs. Landingham knew better than to ask for details. She simply handed him the papers he needed to sign and disappeared back to her desk as he began flipping through legislative files and old briefing books from the campaign trail that he tossed one after another into an empty box meant to be shipped to DC.<p>

When Liz strolled in, animated and beaming, her timing was perfect. Her news was exactly what Jed needed. Mrs. Landingham congratulated her, then ushered her and Abbey toward Jed's office just as fast as she could.

"It's a girl!" Liz announced as she opened the door.

Mirroring the look of delight on his daughter's face, Jed held out his arms to embrace her. "Congratulations, sweetheart!"

"I told you it was going to be a girl!"

"Yes, you did. I can't wait until she's born."

"Really?"

"Really."

After all they had been through with the angst of the pregnancy, Liz was touched to hear him say he was looking forward to the birth of her daughter.

"Can I have the rest of the day off? I have to find Doug."

"You can have the day off," he said. "But I want it on the record that I do not approve of you 'finding Doug.' "

"Dad," Liz smiled at him, knowing he was teasing.

"Go."

Jed watched her leave. He couldn't remember the last time he'd seen Liz so giddy.

"So..." Abbey addressed her husband after their daughter's departure. "Another girl."

"Another girl," he repeated.

"Happy or disappointed?"

"Happy," he said unconvincingly. "It's what Liz wanted, right?"

"You can be happy for Liz and still disappointed that it's not a boy...someone to carry on the Bartlet name."

"It would be the Westin name."

"Yeah, you're right." Abbey cringed at that.

"I really am happy."

"About the baby anyway. Do I have to ask what happened with Jack and Kellie?"

"It was a disaster." The disappointment was written all over his face.

"I'm sorry."

Jed collapsed into his leather office chair. "You predicted it. You said I would have to play referee. Now they're both mad at me and meanwhile, poor Brad is still caught in the middle. They refuse to let him stay with us."

"You did what you could."

"It doesn't feel like enough."

"Because the end result wasn't what you wanted. You can't solve this for them, Jed. They have to find their own way." She went on as he sighed. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Your concern for Brad...do you think they're mistreating him?"

"No." He shook his head. "If I thought they were mistreating him, I'd remove him from the house myself. What I'm concerned about is that they're mistreating each other, in front of him. All the fighting. The harsh words. The contempt."

"It's unhealthy."

"That's an understatement. Jack and I grew up in a house like that. It's toxic. It changes who a child is. It changes the parent-child relationship forever. I can't believe Jack's forgotten that."

Abbey approached him and eased herself into his lap. "Fortunately, you haven't. Even if he doesn't listen to you right now, you can still convince him."

"He's dead-set against it. He's dead-set against me."

"You'll break through his shell."

"I don't know. He's pretty stubborn."

"And so are you."

"Naw, I'm much more easy-going." He smiled at her. "I'm so grateful for our marriage. I love you. Do I say that enough?"

"I never get tired of hearing it."

She kissed him on the mouth, then took a moment to wipe the lipstick stain from his lips as he stared into her eyes. How he got so lucky, he didn't know, but not a day went by that Jed didn't thank God for bringing Abbey into his life and giving him the strength to choose her over the priesthood.

TBC


	13. Chapter 13

Series: Snapshots of the Past

Story: Stealing Cinderella

Chapter 13

Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Previously: Abbey and Liz shopped for a wedding dress and afterwards, Liz's ultrasound revealed her baby's gender; Jed and Jack came to blows when Jed suggested Brad stay at the farm until Jack and Kellie work out their differences

Summary: Christmas Eve with the Bartlets; Jed's rival, Elliott Roush, writes a troubling editorial; Abbey invites Jack to Christmas Eve dinner; Liz asks a special favor of Ellie; Jed and Abbey buy Doug a gift for Liz's sake; Jed and Abbey celebrate the holiday in their own special way (mushy ending fans of the show will get right away)

* * *

><p>Christmas Eve 1986<p>

There were certain traditions Abbey honored every year. One of those traditions was the Bartlet family portrait that was always taken during the holiday season between Christmas and New Year's. It began the year she and Jed got married. Their first photograph was just the two of them, newlyweds living in London, still beaming in the afterglow of their wedding and the start of their life as husband and wife. Abbey's baby bump foreshadowed Elizabeth's imminent arrival. Photos over the next six years showed a family of three - protective father, loving mother, and little Lizzie between them, an only child doted on by both parents. It was the holiday season in 1974 when baby Eleanor made her first appearance in the annual portrait. Cradled in Abbey's arms, Ellie was just two months old, staring at the camera with a smile and a hint of confusion about what was happening. Four more years of shoots chronicled the youngest of the Bartlets becoming a toddler, a preschooler, and finally a kindergartner.

Then came 1979, the year there was no portrait. Abbey had gone into labor in early December and given birth to Zoey 10 weeks early. The fragile newborn fought for her life in the neonatal ICU and their photography appointment was the least of anyone's worries. But Zoey survived and grew stronger every day until she was eventually discharged from the hospital and sent home with her parents. In February 1980, the most precious of the portraits was finally taken. Abbey held the infant up in her arms with Ellie on one side of her and Liz on the other. Jed, standing behind his wife's shoulder, kissed Zoey's little head. Their family complete, this was the first snapshot of all five of the Bartlets and it graced the wall of the family room in an antique copper frame.

The other photos were scattered throughout the farmhouse, in the master bedroom, the study, the den, and the wall opposite the staircase, each one holding a cherished memory of the year in which it was taken. This year, that memory would be obvious to even the most casual observer and that little fact caused distress in at least one member of the family.

"Where's Liz?" Jed asked when Ellie and Zoey descended the stairs for their photography appointment without their big sister.

Liz had locked herself in her room in a frantic wardrobe frenzy, they'd told him. She could no longer hide her pregnancy. She'd tried on seven different outfits and in each and every one, her belly felt exposed, on display for scrutiny.

"Here we go again." Abbey started toward the stairs, but Jed stopped her.

"I'll go," he said. He bore a certain amount of responsibility for Liz's struggle. At least in his mind. The weeks of strife, both at home and in the press, that followed the news of her pregnancy changed Liz. She'd transformed from an independent, confident young woman to a self-conscious shell of her former self and Jed couldn't stand it anymore. He knocked on her door. "Liz?"

"I'm not going," Liz called out to him.

"Open the door please," he encouraged her.

Liz let him in. "I don't want to go, Dad. Please don't make me."

"I can't make you do anything anymore as you so frequently remind me. But it's a family photo. How are we supposed to take it without you?"

"Pretend I'm sick."

"Lizzie..."

"This year has been horrible, Dad. For all of us. I can't wait for it to end. Why would I want to memorialize it in a portrait?"

"Hm." Jed looked down at that. "I get pregnancy hormones, but your emotions seem to change so frequently that it makes me wonder what's really going on here. I thought you were happy about your baby."

"I am."

"Then why are you still filled with so much regret? It's time to move on from the past and embrace the future."

"You sound like a campaign speech."

"Campaign speeches aren't all cliche, sweetheart. Sometimes, what's said is actually true."

"It's not that easy."

"Look, I can't tell you how to feel so let me just tell you how I feel. Do I wish you had waited to start a family? Absolutely, I do. But here we are. All the second thoughts, the self-doubt, the would've, should've, could've, it's all rubbish at this point. You're carrying my grandchild. I can't get worked up about that because in the end, I'm going to love this baby as much as I love her mother." He took a beat then. "What are you really struggling with? Motherhood? Marriage? Religion?"

Liz nodded. "All of the above."

"And at the root of it, you're afraid what people will think."

"Look who's talking."

He went on, "I do care what people think, often more than I should. But at least when I'm alone at the end of the day, I like myself. You haven't liked yourself for a very long time, Elizabeth, and that breaks my heart. I wish I could go back in time, to whenever it was that you first learned that you had to be perfect, that you weren't allowed to make mistakes, so that I could squash that misconception right off the bat."

"It's not about perfectionism, Dad. I don't like being judged."

"Who's judging you?"

"The world. That's what it feels like."

Liz pulled out the morning paper, opened it to an editorial penned by Jed's former rival, Elliot Roush, and handed it to her father. There in black and white, for everyone's reading pleasure, was a headline about declining morals in America, and among the rant about the newly implemented safe sex programs in New Hampshire schools was mention of Liz, "unmarried, pregnant, and proud." The author was obviously ignorant to the months of angst that dominated her life behind the scenes to paint such a skewed picture of her alleged pregnancy bliss. The criticism was harsh and the judgment from someone who barely knew her, someone who had never even met her launching an assaultive attack on her character, was even worse.

Jed read through the piece, his blood pressure rising with every word. "I'll take care of it."

"There's nothing you can do. It's done."

She was right. No matter what Jed did at this point, he couldn't take back the words printed for all to see. Right or wrong, Liz was seen as fair game for public fodder because in the early days of his campaign, he had allowed her to be a surrogate, a spokesperson for him at appearances deemed appropriate for the college crowd. He would have given anything to take that back now. If he'd never introduced her to the public, she would have never had to navigate such a life-changing experience with everyone watching.

He tossed the paper down. "Get dressed."

"I don't want to go."

"Which is precisely why you SHOULD go. These people have changed you and I'm not going to stand by and let you continue to let them dictate your life. This is a private photo, for family eyes only. No one is going to judge you."

"But other people..."

"SCREW THEM!" he shouted. "It's one thing to not want to be in the public eye; I can respect that. But when you change your everyday routine and change what you would ordinarily do because of what other people think, that's where I draw the line. You might be 18 and you might be engaged, but I'm not finished parenting you, not until you realize that the opinion of others doesn't define you. Now get dressed and take control of the situation."

Liz stared at him for several long seconds. He was so fired up that it was almost contagious. Why should she hide in the shadows because of someone else's opinion? What right did the Elliott Roushes of the world have to dictate how she behave, how she should feel and carry herself in public? They certainly weren't saints themselves; just hypocrites who felt comfortable in their hypocrisy. Thanks to Jed, Liz realized that and eventually, she did exactly what he asked. She retrieved a loose-fitting forest green sweater dress she had hanging in her closet and laid it on her bed, then reached into her jewelry box for accessories. Jed gave a nod of approval, then left her room with a heavy heart. He'd gone into politics to make a difference in the world and to advocate for those who couldn't advocate for themselves. But at what price? He'd surrender his own privacy to be in public office, but why was it necessary for his family to do the same? Only a week left before he'd be inaugurated for his second term in Congress and never before had he questioned his choices as much as he did now.

* * *

><p>After returning from their photo shoot on this snowy Christmas Eve, Zoey made herself comfortable in the kitchen where her mother and sister baked Christmas goodies. She stared out the window at the flakes that blanketed the hills and fields of the farm, marking the first big snowstorm of the season and, if she had her way, her first sledding adventure with her father since last winter. Jed had promised that when the snow let up, he'd lead her down the hills by the orchard. He'd initially tried to coax her into riding instead, but Zoey refused that offer. She was still reeling from her fall off Ruby and she was nowhere near ready to mount another horse. Sledding seemed like a fun alternative and with Dad supervising, she didn't fear getting hurt.<p>

"I think it's gonna stop snowing soon," she said, waiting for just the right time to get Jed.

Nearby, Ellie stood at her mother's side at the counter as Abbey cut small strips of peppermint bark for her brownie recipe. "...and they have this Math Bowl at the end of the year where teams go up against each other and answer math questions. And whatever team wins gets to compete against other schools in New Hampshire and even other schools in New England."

"That sounds right up your alley." Abbey was so proud of Ellie. Her enthusiasm about her new school was a welcomed change after the experience at her old one.

"I'm even making friends," she said.

"Yeah?"

"And I think you'd approve."

"What are their names?"

"Lucy and Scarlett. She goes by Carly. They're nice and they actually like school."

"You should invite them over after Christmas. With all the snow we're getting today, the pond will be perfect for a skating party."

"You think so?"

"Absolutely." Abbey smiled.

"Anyone have outgoing mail?" Jed shouted as he bounded down the stairs and went immediately into the kitchen as if on a mission.

"The mail already came," Ellie told him.

"I know, but the post office is open until noon."

Abbey knew exactly what he was up to. There was no way he'd let Roush's editorial go unanswered. "Jed, it's Christmas Eve."

"What's your point?"

"Your press staff is off for the holiday."

"I don't need their input." She looked down at her brownies, prompting him to prod. "What? You think I should let it go?"

"I don't think you should let it go, but I think you'd be wise to consult your staff. He's a petty little man. Everyone will see through him, just like they did during your first campaign when he went after me."

"Going after you was bad enough. But going after our children..."

"I'm just as angry as you are, but you're a United States Congressman now. His letter was to a local paper. If you get down in the dirt with him, it becomes national news and that's not likely to help Liz or you."

He hated when she was right. "So then what?"

"Table it, at least until after Christmas. Mull it over, talk about it with your staff."

He sighed as he slipped the envelope into a drawer. "Fine."

"Hey." Abbey grabbed his hand then. "I'm only stopping you because I love you."

That drew a smile out him. "I know."

"Now take Zoey sledding. She's been waiting for you since we got back from the photographer. It'll do you both some good to get out of the house for a while."

"I was getting around to it. Hey Zo, you ready?"

"Yeah!" The excited 7-year-old skipped toward her father.

"Go get your coat." Jed turned to his middle daughter. "What about you, princess? Do you want to come?"

"Nah, I'm gonna help Mom."

"You mean help yourself to the goodies."

"That too," Ellie agreed as she stole a piece of peppermint from under Abbey's watchful eye, then giggled in response to the scowl she got in return.

Jed chuckled and reached for a slice of peppermint himself only to have Abbey smack his hand. "Hey! Ellie got one!"

"She's a child."

"So?"

"So, you're going to ruin your appetite."

"In all the years you've known me, have I ever turned down a meal?" He grabbed the peppermint. "Thank you."

"Don't blame me when your cholesterol comes back high again."

"Because of a piece of peppermint?"

"And the burger you had yesterday while Christmas shopping."

"Are you having me followed? How did you know I had a burger?"

"I didn't...until now." Abbey grinned.

"You know, Abigail, there are days when I thank God that I married someone smarter than myself. Today is not one of them."

Abbey muttered playfully under her breath as he simultaneously kissed her on the cheek and slapped her on the rear on his way out of the kitchen. "Jackass."

* * *

><p>The Bartlet Christmas tree stood tall in the family room with an array of colorful lights that twinkled from top to bottom. Ornaments hugged the branches, the standard holiday ones mixed in with keepsakes they hung on the tree every year - red and white beaded candy canes and pretty silver stars and crystal figurines the girls made in school and Girl Scouts, a ceramic bride and groom given to Jed and Abbey when they were newlyweds, an antique angel that belonged to Jed's mother, and the hand-painted personalized ornaments each member of the family had that bore the name of its owner.<p>

Ellie's was baby blue stained glass with her name scripted in white. It hung in the middle of the tree, between Lizzie's and Zoey's. She glanced at it for a moment, before turning her attention to the acrylic angel on top and all the presents down below. Jed and Abbey had been particularly generous this Christmas. Boxes wrapped in silver, red, and gold paper, each tied with a bow and ribbon, spilled out from under the bottom branches and overflowed the white skirt under the tree. Ellie saw one with her name on it. It was small and square, likely a charm or pendant, she thought as she picked it up and tried to rattle it against her ear before she realized how heavy it was. She stared at it, turned it upside down, and examined it closely.

"You're so predictable." Liz laughed from the doorway, spying on her little sister. "Twelve years old and you're doing exactly what you did when you were four."

When it came to presents, the Bartlet girls were all snoops. Many December nights were spent with all three camped out under the tree, rattling their gifts for clues. Ellie was the best at guessing what those little boxes held inside their perfectly wrapped shells and over the years, it had become a challenge for Jed and Abbey to surprise her. This year, Abbey resorted to adding Jed's work tools to her boxes to add weight to her presents in an effort to fool her.

"Like you don't ever try to guess your presents!"

"I'm not as obvious about it as you."

"Whatever." Ellie eyed the gift box in her sister's hand. "Who's that for?"

"You," Liz said. "Do you want to open it now?"

"Really?"

She handed the younger girl the gift. "Go ahead."

"Is this a joke?"

"I'm serious. You can open it."

Ellie slipped off the silver bow and tore the white and silver paper, then lifted the top of the box to find a beautiful red dress tucked inside. "Lizzie, it's gorgeous!"

"You like it?"

"I love it!" She pulled it out of the box and stood to hold it up to her frame. It was a floor-length A line princess style chiffon with spaghetti straps, sparkles along the sweetheart neckline, and a crystal side brooch on the waist. The only other dress Ellie owned that was this fancy was the one she wore to the Nobel Prize ceremony in Sweden. "Where would I wear it?"

"At my wedding." Liz reached into the box to pick up the matching red cape, lined in velvet, that made it an appropriate ensemble for a winter wedding. She draped it over her sister's shoulders. "Of course, you have to agree to be my maid of honor first."

Ellie didn't see that coming. Wide-eyed, she said, "You want ME to be your maid of honor? Lizzie, I'm 12."

Liz nodded. "That's okay. Just say you'll do it and we'll figure the rest out."

Ellie's young age was an afterthought to Liz. Despite the six years between them, from the day she was born, Ellie had been her most loyal supporter. Abbey predicted that would happen. Soon after Ellie's birth, Abbey had told Liz to be good to her and treat her well because she was someone who would be in her corner from cradle to grave. That was the bond between sisters, Abbey had said. It never seemed more true than it did now, after the drama of the past few months. The night she told her parents she was pregnant, it was Ellie - and Zoey - who practically leapt down the stairs to comfort her when Jed and Abbey walked out. Liz eventually ran off to Boston to live with her grandparents for a week when the pregnancy fallout became unbearable at home and when she returned, it was Ellie who stood up for her in an effort to forge a reconciliation between Liz and their parents. She never judged her big sister, never looked at her any differently. If there was one thing Liz could count on, even in her darkest nights, it was that Ellie had her back.

So when it came time to select her bridal party, Ellie's inclusion was a no-brainer. Liz struggled with her role, initially wondering if she'd be a better fit for junior bridesmaid. After all, Ellie barely knew the customs of a wedding ceremony, let alone the pre-wedding festivities and behind-the-scenes rallying for which the maid of honor was usually responsible. But with Abbey's offer to help with the traditional maid of honor duties, she had no doubt that Ellie was mature enough to handle the responsibility and she fell in love with the idea of sharing her special day with her sister.

Ellie accepted without hesitation as the two girls laughed and celebrated by plopping down in front of the Christmas tree and rattling the rest of the gifts, including the one hiding Zoey's flower girl dress that Liz had saved for later.

* * *

><p>"Do you think Santa will bring me the new ice skates I asked for?" Zoey asked her mother while Abbey brushed her soft strawberry blonde hair later that afternoon.<p>

"Maybe," Abbey said. "I'll keep my fingers crossed."

"Santa never brought me the ones I asked for," Liz replied with an elbow jab to her mother.

"I'm sure yours got lost among the all the designer clothes, Barbies, and fancy dresses he brought you every year. Time to let go of the ice skates, baby doll."

Liz chuckled at that. She had been pretty spoiled and she certainly had enough pairs of ice skates, even if she never got the pink and blue ones she was obsessed with as a preteen. "Touche."

As Abbey and the girls got dressed and ready in the master bedroom, Jed checked on the preparations downstairs. He loved Christmas, especially Christmas at the farm. The best childhood memories he carried with him revolved around this place and the fun times he spent with his grandparents. At Christmas, his grandmother transformed the farm into a scene out of a storybook with no shortage of holly and mistletoe, carols playing on the turntable, a fire crackling in the background, and all the familiar scents of the holiday. There were some scents that just belonged to Christmas, so much so that if you smelled them at any other time, they still reminded you of the holiest night of the year - the smell of balsam and pine, the fresh cut greens in wreaths and swag, cinnamon and sugar cookies, peppermint sticks and apple pies, and of course, the aroma of a honey glazed ham in the oven.

Jed toured the kitchen, then made his way to the family room to admire the tree. So many Christmas Eves were spent in that room. He could still hear his grandfather sitting in the overstuffed chair by the window, reading to him and his brother as they stared outside and tried to trick each other into thinking they'd seen the glow of reindeer carrying a sleigh into the night sky. That memory brought a smile to Jed's face. But it was short-lived and disappeared just as soon as he remembered that for the first time in years, Jack wasn't coming over tonight. The brothers hadn't spoken since the ill-fated breakfast last week when Jed had suggested caring for Brad until Jack and Kellie sorted out their problems. It was for the best, he reasoned. If Jack showed up, it would be tense and uncomfortable and that was the last thing he wanted at Christmastime.

His thoughts were interrupted then. Abbey snuck up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, her chin resting on his shoulder. "What are you thinking about?"

Jed smiled at her touch. His hands instinctively grasped hers and he turned to face her. "Ghosts of Christmases past."

"I invited him," she said. "Kellie has Brad tonight and I didn't want Jack to be alone. He never gave me a firm answer, but I got the impression that he's considering it."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. It's still early."

"I love you so much." He squeezed her hands in his. "This is the first Christmas Eve you haven't been on-call in ages."

"I'm not going anywhere tonight. We'll celebrate with family, go to midnight mass, put the girls to bed, then haul out all the Santa gifts."

It was a Christmas of Care Bears, Atari, and the controversial game Lazer Tag that Jed and Abbey refused to buy. Teaching their girls to shoot a gun, even if it was at beams of light, just didn't sound like a good idea. They opted for other gifts, like the Atari console, a new ten-speed bicycle, and rollerblades for Ellie, a life-sized doll house, ice skates, and the first-ever Holiday Barbie for Zoey, and leather boots, a designer handbag, and jewelry for Liz. There were other surprises under the tree, all wrapped and waiting to be opened. And hanging from the mantle, stockings yet to be stuffed with all the knick-knacks Abbey had collected since Thanksgiving.

"I can hardly wait," Jed said before gesturing to the mistletoe hanging above and bringing her in for a kiss.

It was going to be a long night for husband and wife, as Christmas Eve usually was.

* * *

><p>The Bartlet family Christmas party was in full swing after dinner. As the snow came down outside and the wind picked up, Dean Martin's White Christmas played softly on the turntable. Jed sat across from his father-in-law, a coffee table of gingerbread cookies and peppermint brownies between them. He spied his eldest daughter trapped under the mistletoe by Doug who pecked her on the lips. He turned his glance to Abbey on the sofa mingling with Mary, Millie, and Kate. He gestured to Doug and Liz, but to his displeasure, she simply shrugged it off and continued gabbing. He then scanned the room to find Ellie and Chloe by the fire, whispering secrets to one another as Zoey chased her cousin Max around the Christmas tree.<p>

He rose from his seat then and approached the tree to find the giftbox addressed to Doug. Anything to distract the couple, Abbey thought as she joined him. With Abbey at his side, Jed approached the couple and handed Doug the present. The younger man accepted it with a measure of skepticism. He figured all he'd get from the Bartlets this year was a lump of coal in a stocking, not a beautifully wrapped gift. Liz watched as he opened it. She had no idea what her parents bought him, but just the fact that he was on their Christmas list at all warmed her heart.

Doug opened the box and pulled out an ornament. It was silver with blue trim and like all the others hanging on the tree, his name was hand-painted across the center. "Wow. This is...so unexpected. I don't know what to say."

"You're a member of the family now," Abbey told him. "You should have your own ornament on the tree."

Liz helped him hang it on the branch beside hers, gazing lovingly at her parents for their thoughtful gift as her grandfather captured the moment with a photo. Months of turmoil, tension, and arguments seemed to be behind them from James's point of view. He proudly observed his son-in-law swallowing all his objections for the sake of his family and embracing Doug despite his doubts about him, all for Liz's happiness. Jed Bartlet was one hell of a father, James thought with another snapshot of the festive scene at the tree.

* * *

><p>As the snowstorm raged outside the farmhouse, Jack Bartlet drove cautiously on the winding gravel road. His wipers barely kept up with the flakes as they bounced off his windshield and swirled aimlessly in the wind that howled louder than the Christmas music playing on his radio. He had doubts about coming here, thought of turning around even as he approached. Abbey might have invited him, but would Jed want to see him after their fight? He feared rejection. Still, he parked the car and got out to personally deliver the bag of presents he had tucked in his back seat.<p>

He took only a few steps towards the house before he stalled. It was beautiful, the snow on the windows and the candles shining bright through the glass. He could almost imagine what it looked like on the inside, could almost hear the music playing, the fire crackling, and Jed, Abbey, and the girls gathering around to make Christmas memories that most families could only dream about. It was a dichotomy when it came to the Bartlets. With Jed and Abbey in such demanding fields, Currier & Ives holidays were impossible most of the time, but this year, Jack sensed that's exactly what it was. Jed would have seen to it after the year they'd had. That's what Jack admired most about Jed - his resilience. Conflict that might have destroyed other families didn't come close to destroying the Bartlets. And it never would, not as long as Jed was alive.

He often envied his brother's strength and now more than ever, he wished he had it so that he could mend the shattered pieces of his own marriage, forgive Kellie, and reclaim the life he once knew. He wanted to do it so badly, but no matter how hard he tried, there was nothing that could be said or done to repair the damage of her infidelity. There was no Christmas miracle magical enough to numb him from the anger and hurt still brewing inside. And so, he was left alone, his son with his estranged wife at her parents' house while he stumbled outside his brother's door, a sad and broken man who didn't even have the courage to knock.

"UNCLE JACK'S HERE!" he heard Zoey shout from inside seconds before the door flung open and she ran out to greet him.

A minute later, as he stepped inside the farmhouse, he saw Jed approach, his strides slow at first. "Jack," he said. "I'm glad you made it."

"Me too," Zoey beamed at her father. "He brought presents!"

Jack chuckled and handed Zoey the big, heavy bag that she inevitably dragged on the floor behind her as she made her way back to the family room. "Lizzie, Ellie, I have more presents!"

Jed stared at his brother, unsure how to proceed.

"Truce?" Jack held out his hand.

"Truce." Jed accepted the handshake.

Jack wasn't ready to tap into the myriad of insecurities that led to their argument - the fear that if Jed cared for his son, for even a day, he'd win Brad's love and favor. Jed had always been so good with his own kids. They worshipped him. Every single one idolized him in a way that Brad undoubtedly would as well. Maybe someday, he'd find the strength to verbalize that to his brother, but tonight, among family and friends enjoying the holiday festivities wasn't the time.

Instead, he put a smile on his face and followed Jed into the house to greet everyone.

* * *

><p>After Midnight Mass, Jed and Abbey said good-bye to their guests and returned home with their girls. Jed carried a sleeping Zoey up to her bed and a groggy Liz and Ellie followed while Abbey retrieved a few Santa gifts she had hidden for the girls. She retreated to the family room to wrap them. As she flipped the switch to turn on the Christmas lights, she took a moment to stand back and admire the tree, so tall and majestic. All those ornaments brought back so many wonderful memories and she couldn't help but sigh as she folded her arms in front of her.<p>

Jed paused before disturbing her. He saw her standing there, the glow of the lights creating colorful halos as they bounced off her auburn tresses. She wore a silk blouse, winter white with gold accents tucked into a rusty red suede pencil skirt that hugged her hips and rear and tapered at her thighs. She was so beautiful, he thought. He quietly entered the room and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"The first time I made love to you was under a Christmas tree," he said, kissing her cheek.

She turned in his arms so they were face-to-face. "Why do you think I love Christmas so much?"

"I bet we could squeeze in a quickie before the girls wake up and start snooping."

"Jed," she laughed as he claimed her lips and unbuttoned her blouse to reveal her lacy nude bra underneath. "A little romance please?"

He grunted, then walked over to the turntable and brought down the stylus to play Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, the same song that played on the radio the night they consummated their relationship.

"How's that for romantic?"

"You had that set and ready to play. Did you plan this?"

"Plan a Christmas Eve rendezvous with my wife under the tree? No, why do you ask?" He gave her a devilish grin. "Get over here, you sexy little elf."

That song always made Abbey weak in the knees. The first time Jed made love to her was the night she lost her virginity and even more importantly, the night any lingering doubts disappeared and she realized that he was the one. Beyond the act itself, he was so considerate of her, watching her expressions and reading her cues, prepared to stop at any moment if she was uncomfortable or changed her mind. She felt safe and cared for in his arms and she knew instantly that this was the man she'd love for the rest of her life.

Three children and 20 years later, those feelings never wavered. The song played in the background as Abbey fell into his embrace. Jed planted another passionate kiss on her mouth and her hands drifted to his belt while he slid her blouse off her shoulders and unzipped her skirt. They sank to the floor, a throw blanket beneath them. Locked in each others arms, they celebrated their love again and again, long after the music stopped and exhaustion set in.

They had drifted off to sleep when something woke Abbey. She thought she dreamt it, the nudge that disturbed her restful slumber. She sat up, looked at the clock, and immediately turned to Jed.

"Jed, wake up, honey."

"Hmm?" Jed stirred. "What's happening?"

"It's almost morning. We have presents to assemble, cookies to eat, milk to drink. The girls are going to be up soon."

She scrambled to her feet and Jed sleepily followed. Abbey grabbed the throw blanket, folded it and threw it over the sofa. Jed wiped at his eyes, then left to grab his box-cutter to start on Zoey's dollhouse while Abbey headed toward the kitchen for the milk Zoey had poured into a glass for Santa before mass. She'd left it in the fridge and made her parents promise that if she fell asleep, they'd set it out beside the cookies she left on the coffee table.

It took two hours, but Zoey's dollhouse, Ellie's bike, and the Atari console were set up and ready to go, each with a big red bow wrapped around it. Stockings were stuffed with slippers, nail polish, and gum, stickers for Zoey, sunglasses for Ellie, and lip gloss for Liz. Jed and Abbey shared the cookies and milk and before retiring upstairs, they scanned the room one last time.

"Well, there's no denying it," Jed said, his arm around Abbey. "They're definitely spoiled."

"That they are." Abbey laughed. "It's still snowing."

"Yeah, doesn't look like it's going to stop any time soon," he said as he glanced out the window.

"Do you feel that?"

"What?"

"I don't know, the room just feels different."

"Different how?"

"More Christmassy."

Jed furrowed his brows. "More what?"

"I can't explain it. It's just...something woke me up before and ever since then, it felt...as if something was pushing us to get all this done."

"Something as in...?" Jed questioned her. "Dr. Bartlet, are you saying you believe in Santa Claus?"

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm just saying we assembled everything in record time. There's something to be said for the spirit of the holiday."

"There's something to be said for spirits in general," he added.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing, just that we're very lucky."

They stared at one another, both acknowledging how fortunate they were to have each other, their three girls, and stability in their marriage, their faith, and their careers. Next week, Jed would leave for Washington to begin his second term in the U.S. House of Representatives. Next month, Liz would get married, and before they knew it, they'd be grandparents. But for this Christmas, it was just the five of them, weather, and once the stockings were dismantled, everyone in their slippers.

It was a Christmas Jed would always remember.

TBC


End file.
